Abstract. A population-based surveillance for typhoid fever was conducted in three rural communes of Dong Thap Province in southern Vietnam (population 28,329) for a 12-month-period starting on December 4, 1995. Cases of typhoid fever were detected by obtaining blood for culture from residents with fever Ն 3 days. Among 658 blood cultures, 56 (8.5%) were positive for Salmonella typhi with an overall incidence of 198 per 10 5 population per year. The peak occurrence was at the end of the dry season in March and April. The attack rate was highest among 5-9 year-olds (531/10 5 /year), and lowest in Ͼ 30 year-olds (39/10 5 /year). The attack rate was 358/10 5 /year in 2-4 yearolds. The isolation of S. typhi from blood cultures was highest (17.4%) in patients with 5 to 6 days of fever. Typhoid fever is highly endemic in Vietnam and is a significant disease in both preschool and school-aged children.

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