Typhoid

Typhoid is an infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhi). The bacterium lives in the intestines and bloodstream of humans. It spreads between individuals by direct contact with the feces of an infected person. No animals carry this disease, so transmission is always human to human. If untreated, around 1 in 5 cases of typhoid can be fatal. With treatment, fewer than 4 in 100 cases are fatal. S. typhi enters through the mouth and spends 1 to 3 weeks in the intestine. After this, it makes its way through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream. From the bloodstream, it spreads into other tissues and organs. The immune system of the host can do little to fight back because S. typhi can live within the host's cells, safe from the immune system. Typhoid is diagnosed by detecting the presence of S. typhi via blood, stool, urine, or bone marrow sample.