Typhoid is a serious illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. While rarely seen in the United States, it is still common in the developing world. When a person becomes infected with the bacteria that cause typhoid, the bacteria begin to multiply and spread into the bloodstream. Common symptoms of typhoid include high fever, stomach pains, headache, and a rash of flat, rose-colored spots.
Typhoid is an illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. Only about 400 cases of typhoid occur each year in the United States (and 75 percent of these are acquired while traveling internationally); however, typhoid is still common in the developing world, where it affects about 21.5 million people each year.
As mentioned, typhoid is caused by an infection with the bacterium known as Salmonella typhi.
How Is Typhoid Transmitted?
You can get typhoid if you eat food or drink beverages that have been handled by a person who is shedding typhoid bacteria (Salmonella typhi) or if sewage contaminated with the bacteria gets into the water you use for drinking or washing food.
Where Is the Risk for Typhoid the Greatest?
Typhoid is common in most parts of the world, except in industrialized regions, such as the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and Japan. Risk for typhoid fever is greatest within the Indian subcontinent and other developing countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
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