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

Featured patient discussions on typhoid fever "I contracted typhoid fever in 2005 while on vacation in Mexico. The day of my return, I became violently ill. I had uncontrollable diarrhea and vomiting. My fever shot up to 104 degrees, and I was hospitalized where I remained for seven days. I was packed on ice continually as my fever shot to105. I suffered convulsions. The pain in my body was so excruciating. I was put on a morphine drip, and I have a high tolerance for pain. Blood tests showed minimal kidney function and liver failure. Even after I was released, I continued to have fevers of 104 and 105. I was disabled by this illness for months." Read all typhoid fever comments » Top Searched Typhoid Fever Terms: treatment, transmission, paratyphoid, signs, travelers, how long does it last, bacteria, symptoms, cause, vaccine, diagnosis, Salmonella typhi, fever, intestinal disease, contaminated water, prognosis, prevention Patient Discussions are not a substitute for professional medical advice, or treatment. See the disclaimer at the bottom of the comments page.

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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