Typhoid Fever Outbreak Travel Alert Issued

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Level 1 Travel Alert on May 12, 2021, regarding an outbreak of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid fever in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

An earlier CDC Health Advisory Network Alert indicated XDR typhoid fever had sickened more than 5,000 people in Pakistan since 2016.

All travelers to Pakistan are at risk of getting XDR typhoid fever, says the CDC.

Typhoid fever is a serious disease caused by Salmonella Typhi bacteria. The bacteria spread through contaminated food and water and person-to-person contact. 

Symptoms of typhoid fever include high fever, weakness, stomach pain, headache, constipation or diarrhea, cough, and loss of appetite. Typhoid fever can be fatal without appropriate antibiotic treatment.

If you are going to South Asia, including Pakistan, protect yourself by getting a typhoid fever vaccination before your trip. 

Vivotif is an oral vaccine that can be given to people at least six years old. Typhim IV is an injectable vaccine for people at least two years old and should be given at least two weeks before travel. The injectable vaccine requires a booster every two years.

Recent cases of XDR typhoid fever have been reported among people in North America, including the USA. Most of the cases diagnosed with typhoid fever in the USA acquired the disease during international travel, says the CDC.