Typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. In the United States, about 400 cases occur each year, and 75 percent of these are acquired while traveling internationally. Typhoid fever is still common in the developing world, where it affects about 21.5 million people each year.
What Are the Causes of Typhoid Fever?
You can get typhoid fever if you eat food or drink beverages that have been handled by a person who is shedding typhoid fever bacteria (Salmonella typhi). You can also get it if sewage contaminated with the bacteria gets into the water you use for drinking or washing food.
Where Is Typhoid Fever Most Common?
Typhoid fever 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 contracting it is greatest within the Indian subcontinent and other developing countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
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