Typhoid fever is a potentially fatal infection caused by the Salmonella typhi bacterium.

It is generally transmitted by drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated food.

Its main symptoms are prolonged fever, fatigue, headaches, nausea, abdominal pain and transit disorders (constipation or diarrhea). A rash may occur in some patients. Severe cases can lead to serious complications and even death.

Typhoid fever can be treated with antibiotics, but increasing resistance to different types of antibiotics makes treatment more complex.

Even after symptoms have disappeared, people can remain carriers of the typhoid bacterium and transmit it via the faecal route.

Source: World Health Organization