A 60-year-old woman has had low-grade intermittent fever for three years following documented typhoid fever. Blood culture during a relapse yields Salmonella Typhi. The site harboring the organism during such a chronic carrier state is the:
- A Bone marrow
- B Renal pelvis
- C Gallbladder ✓
- D Splenic sinusoids
Correct answer: C. Gallbladder
Explanation
Chronic carriage of Salmonella Typhi, defined as shedding of organisms for more than one year, occurs in approximately 1 to 4 percent of untreated patients. The organism persists in the gallbladder, often in association with gallstones and chronic cholecystitis, from where it is shed intermittently into bile and stool. Carriers are an important reservoir for epidemic transmission. Detection of Vi antibody is useful for screening carriers, and eradication may require prolonged antimicrobials or cholecystectomy.
Reference: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 21st ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.