Typhoid Fever

Typhoid fever is a severe infection causing a sustained high fever, and caused by the bacteria Salmonella typhi. S. typhi is in the same tribe of bacteria as the type spread by chicken and eggs, commonly known as "Salmonella poisoning," or food poisoning. S. typhi bacteria, however, do not multiply directly in food, as do the Salmonella responsible for food poisoning, nor does it have vomiting and diarrhea as the most prominent symptoms. Instead, persistently high fever is the hallmark of infection with Salmonella typhi.

Samples of a patient's stool, urine, blood, and bone marrow can all be used to culture (grow) the S. typhi bacteria in a laboratory for identification under a microscope. These types of cultures are the most accurate methods of diagnosis.