Typhoid fever – South Africa

64 cases of typhoid fever in the Western Cape and Northern of South Africa after consuming food or drinking beverages that have been handled by a person who is shedding S. typhi.

Typhoid fever is a life-threatening bacterial infection and is very common in developing countries. Frequent handwashing is encouraged

Photo: Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium – Cultured in medium

Typhoid fever, so-called enteric fever caused by Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi, has a totally different presentation from that of the commoner kinds of salmonellosis.

It is usually spread by contaminated food or water. Typhoid fever is not a zoonosis like the more commonly seen types of salmonellosis.

Vomiting and diarrhea are typically absent but constipation is frequently reported.

The word typhoid (as in typhus-like) reflects the similarity of the louse-borne rickettsial disease epidemic typhus and that of typhoid fever; in fact, in some areas, typhoid fever is still referred to as abdominal typhus.

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