Latest news with #S.Typhi
New York Post
23-04-2025
- Health
- New York Post
This old-timey disease is actually still around — and it's becoming antibiotic-resistant
No, it's not a fever dream. A deadly disease that toppled ancient civilizations is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, posing a significant threat in certain parts of the world. 'Despite advances in vaccination and treatment strategies, typhoid fever continues to affect millions annually, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality, and there continue to be large-scale outbreaks,' an international team of researchers recently wrote in the journal Scientific Data. Advertisement 3 In this 1911 photo, an NYC health officer examines immigrant children during a typhoid fever scare. Bettmann Archive The World Health Organization estimates that about 9 million people become ill from the life-threatening bacterial infection and 110,000 people die from it annually. Typhoid fever is common in Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, South America and Eastern Europe, where sanitation and water quality are poor. Advertisement Roughly 5,700 illnesses and 620 hospitalizations from typhoid occur in the US each year, with most cases linked to international travel, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The University of Wisconsin at Madison reported in February that a campus cafe worker had typhoid, warning students of potential exposure to Salmonella Typhi. The bacteria are spread through contaminated food or water or contact with infected people. 3 Salmonella Typhi, the bacteria that cause typhoid fever, are shown here. Universal Images Group via Getty Images Advertisement Once the bacteria enter the body, they typically cause a high fever, fatigue and stomach cramps within one to three weeks. Prompt antibiotic treatment is crucial to prevent severe complications, like intestinal hemorrhage, organ failure and sepsis, and death. The problem is that S. Typhi are developing resistance to antibiotics through genetic mutations, allowing them to survive even when exposed to drugs that would normally kill them. Advertisement Researchers sounded the alarm about the rise in drug-resistant (XDR) Typhi in 2022 after studying the strains contracted from 2014 to 2019 in Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. 'Typhoid was once treatable with a set of pills and now ends up with patients in hospital,' Jehan Zeb Khan, the clinical pharmacist at a hospital in northern Pakistan, told The Guardian last fall. 3 Mary Mallon, famously known as 'Typhoid Mary,' was the first person in the US to be identified as an asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever. Bettmann Archive Pakistan has been grappling with drug-resistant typhoid since 2016, with the overuse of antibiotics a significant contributor. Antibiotic-resistant infections kill at least 1.2 million people worldwide each year. Other factors include limited access to clean water and sanitation and little public awareness of the disease. Experts recommend expanding access to typhoid immunization and funding new antibiotic research. 'XDR-typhoid is the final warning sign. After this we will enter a stage where the superbug won't respond to any drugs at all,' Khan said. 'That means we will go back to when typhoid was a more deadly disease. And that really worries us.'
NDTV
22-04-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Typhoid Fever's Deadly Mutation: Ancient Killer Becomes Resistant To Last-Resort Antibiotics
Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, is rapidly spreading worldwide, particularly from South Asia. These strains are resistant to multiple antibiotics, including newer ones like fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins. According to a study, "Antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can cause typhoid fever and evade treatment are spreading across the globe, according to international research. Typhoid fever causes about 100,000 deaths a year globally and is usually treatable with antibiotics." However, the researchers say genetic analysis on blood samples collected in South Asia shows some of the bacteria strains causing the disease now are resistant to commonly used antibiotics. The researchers say these resistant strains have spread between countries nearly 200 times since 1990. "The speed at which highly resistant strains of S. Typhi have emerged and spread in recent years is a real cause for concern and highlights the need to urgently expand prevention measures, particularly in countries at greatest risk," said infectious disease specialist Jason Andrews from Stanford University at the time the results were published. Scientists have been warning about drug-resistant typhoid for years. In 2016, a super-resistant strain was found in Pakistan and quickly spread. By 2019, it was the most common type in the country. Now, new research shows that typhoid is getting even more resistant, making treatment harder. If typhoid isn't treated, it can be deadly for up to 20% of people who get it. Every year, there are 11 million cases of typhoid worldwide. Vaccines can help prevent future outbreaks, but many people don't have access to them. If we don't act now, we could face another major health crisis.
