Salmonella and Typhoid Fever
Typhoid fever is a blood infection caused by consumption of food or water contaminated by the bacterium Salmonella enterica, commonly referred to as Salmonella typhi. This is not to be confused with the many other members of the bacterial group Salmonella, which invade the intestines to cause salmonella food poisoning, or salmonellosis.
Typhoid fever can cause several different symptoms, including fever, headache, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, rose spots across the abdomen, and loss of appetite. Damage to internal organs is the leading complication from typhoid fever and often the organ damage is severe enough to cause death.
Fortunately, typhoid fever is easily controlled and is uncommon in industrialized nations like the United States. There are approximately 400 cases of typhoid fever per year in the US, about 70% of these cases occur following international travel.
Richard J. Arsenault, 2010
