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What Is the Organism of Typhoid Disease?

Typhoid disease, more commonly known as typhoid fever or enteric fever, is extremely rare in the U.S. But it can pose a hazard to travelers who are unaware of how typhoid is contracted and spread.

  1. Cause of Typhoid

    • A hearty bacteria called Salmonella typhi (S. typhi) causes typhoid disease in humans. The Mayo Clinic notes that S. typhi is related to the bacteria that causes salmonellosis--also an intestinal infection--but they're not the same.

    Where It's Found

    • S. typhi is common in developing nations, such as Africa, South America, Southeast Asia and India, notes the Mayo Clinic--parts of the world with poor water treatment facilities where hand washing isn't a common practice.

    How S. Typhi Spreads

    • The S. typhi bacteria is spread through fecal-oral route. Travelers acquire typhoid by drinking contaminated water or other beverages or by eating food handled by a person with typhoid who didn't wash his hands after using the restroom.

    Typhoid Prevalence

    • According to the National Institutes of Health, typhoid isn't common in the U.S., accounting for only 400 cases a year, most of which are brought over from overseas. In developing nations, typhoid disease affects more than 21 million people annually.

    Treating Typhoid

    • Typhoid fever is treated with antibiotics such as ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin, according to the CDC. Death from typhoid disease is rare with medical treatment. When left untreated, death may occur in 20 percent of those with the illness.

    Typhoid Carriers

    • S. typhi may continue to exist in the stool of a few typhoid sufferers for several years, well after they recover from the disease. They can also spread typhoid to others.

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