| Disease Index | Health & Senior Services | NJ InTouch |
Typhoid Fever
What is typhoid fever?
Typhoid fever is an illness caused by infection with the bacterium Salmonella typhi. It is primarily an intestinal infection, but in a small number of cases, it can infect the bloodstream. Salmonella typhi is different from the other types of Salmonella (see Salmonellosis) that also cause illness in humans. Salmonella typhi is an uncommon disease in the United States; only 25-45 cases occur in New Jersey each year.
Who gets typhoid fever?
Anyone can get typhoid fever, but those at greatest risk are international travelers to developing countries where Typhoid Fever disease is common.
How is typhoid fever spread?
An infected person has the Salmonella typhi bacteria in his or her intestinal tract, sometimes in the bloodstream, and occasionally in the urine. A small number of individuals, called carriers, have no symptoms of illness, but they continue to carry the bacteria in their intestine. Both ill people and carriers pass the bacteria in their stool, and occasionally in the urine.
A person becomes infected with Salmonella typhi by swallowing the bacteria. This can occur when an individual eats or drinks food or water contaminated with Salmonella typhi bacteria, or has direct contact with an infected person (including carriers) who has poor personal hygiene. Food can become contaminated by being handled or prepared by an infected individual, or by being washed in water that has been contaminated by sewage containing Salmonella typhi bacteria.
What are the symptoms of typhoid fever?
An individual infected with Salmonella typhi may have no symptoms, or may have a range of symptoms including fever, headache, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pains, weakness, or loss of appetite. Some patients may have a rash on the trunk of the body that looks like rose-colored spots. Carriers of Salmonella typhi have no symptoms.
How soon do symptoms occur?
Symptoms of illness usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after swallowing the bacteria, but may appear as quickly as 3 days or take as long as 3 months.
How is typhoid fever diagnosed?
Typhoid fever is diagnosed in a laboratory by identifying Salmonella typhi bacteria in a sample of stool, blood or urine from an infected person.
What is the treatment for typhoid fever?
An antibiotic is usually prescribed by a doctor to treat typhoid fever.
How long is an infected person infectious to others?
An infected person is capable of transmitting typhoid fever to others as long as Salmonella typhi bacteria are being passed in his/her stool and urine. The Salmonella typhi bacteria usually disappear from the stool about a week after symptoms of illness have resolved. However, some individuals become carriers, meaning that they no longer have symptoms but continue to pass the bacteria in their stool. The carrier state may continue for a year or more.
Is there a vaccine for typhoid fever?
Yes, however it is not recommended for routine use. The vaccine is recommended for individuals subject to unusual exposure to typhoid fever, such as workers in high-risk occupations (such as certain laboratory technicians), travelers to developing countries where typhoid fever is common and household members of a known carrier of Salmonella typhi.
Should an infected person be excluded from work or school?
In general, individuals infected with Salmonella typhi may return to work or school when their diarrhea has stopped, but they must be sure to carefully wash their hands after using the bathroom.
Special precautions are indicated for food handlers, health- care workers and child care workers and children who attend day care. Food handlers, health-care workers and child-care workers must not work directly with food or patients and children until they have 3 negative stool tests for Salmonella typhi. Children infected with Salmonella typhi may not return to day care until they have 3 negative stool tests for Salmonella typhi. Consult your local health department for further advice in these circumstances.
How can typhoid fever be prevented?
| Disease Index | Health & Senior Services | NJ InTouch |