Overview
Typhoid fever is the name given to the illness caused by
the bacterium
Salmonella Typhi, a member of the
Salmonella family. Typhoid fever is spread through food and water contaminated by animal and human feces. Typhoid fever is very rare in the United States and other developed nations, and it is more common in underdeveloped nations, particularly Latin America, Asia, and Africa. When traveling to underdeveloped areas, a good way to remember what foods and beverages are safe is to think of the following: If you cannot boil it (to kill bacteria), peel it (to remove bacteria) or cook it (to kill bacteria),
do not eat it. When traveling to areas without clean drinking water, also remember to avoid ice cubes, which may be made with contaminated water, and to check the seal on all bottled water that you purchase (as the water bottle may have been refilled with unclean water). Some travelers drink only carbonated water in order to avoid this issue.
The longer typhoid fever symptoms go untreated, the higher the risk of complications, including the spread of the bacteria to the blood (sepsis) and death.
