ArabicChineseEnglishFrenchRussianSpanish
WHO home
All WHO This site only
  WHO > Health topics

Typhoid fever

Typhoid fever is a bacterial disease, caused by Salmonella typhi. It is transmitted through the ingestion of food or drink contaminated by the faeces or urine of infected people.

Symptoms usually develop 1–3 weeks after exposure, and may be mild or severe. They include high fever, malaise, headache, constipation or diarrhoea, rose-coloured spots on the chest, and enlarged spleen and liver. Healthy carrier state may follow acute illness.

Typhoid fever can be treated with antibiotics. However, resistance to common antimicrobials is widespread. Healthy carriers should be excluded from handling food.

RELATED SITES

- Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals: typhoid

RELATED LINKS

- Disease outbreaks: typhoid fever
- Water-related diseases: typhoid and paratyphoid enteric fevers


KEY WHO INFORMATION

Director-General
Director-General and senior management

Governance of WHO
WHO Constitution, Executive Board and World Health Assembly

Media centre
News, events, fact sheets, multimedia and contacts

International travel and health
Publication on travel risks, precautions and vaccination requirements

World Health Report
Annual report on global public health and key statistics