Typhoid Fever

Typhoid Fever

Medical Author: Jerry Balentine, DO, FACEP
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

• What is typhoid fever?
• How do patients get typhoid fever?
• How does the bacteria cause disease, and how is it diagnosed?
• What are typhoid fever symptoms?
• How is typhoid fever treated, and what is the prognosis?
• Typhoid Fever At A Glance
• Patient Discussions: Typhoid Fever - Describe Your Experience

What is typhoid fever?

Typhoid fever is an acute illness associated with fever caused by the Salmonella typhi bacteria. It can also be caused by Salmonella paratyphi, a related bacterium that usually causes a less severe illness. The bacteria are deposited in water or food by a human carrier and are then spread to other people in the area.

The incidence of typhoid fever in the United States has markedly decreased since the early 1900s. Today, less than 500 cases are reported annually in the United States, mostly in people who recently have traveled to endemic areas. This is in comparison to the 1920s, when over 35,000 cases were reported in the U.S. This improvement is the result of improved environmental sanitation. Mexico and South America are the most common areas for U.S. citizens to contract typhoid fever. India, Pakistan, and Egypt are also known high-risk areas for developing this disease. Worldwide, typhoid fever affects more than 13 million people annually, with over 500,000 patients dying of the disease.

Typhoid Fever - Describe Your Experience

The MedicineNet physician editors ask:

Please describe your experience with typhoid fever.

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