Wiping out waterborne diseases

Abstract

Typhoid fever is an acute severe illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. The bacterium lives only in humans. Persons with typhoid fever carry the bacteria in their bloodstream and intestinal tract. In addition, a small number of persons, called carriers, recover from typhoid fever but continue to carry the bacteria. Both ill persons and carriers shed S. typhi in their faeces (stool). Typhoid fever was described as long ago as ancient Greek times, and has claimed many lives over the centuries. In the Anglo-Boer war, for example, the British lost more troops from typhoid fever than from war wounds. Today, it is estimated that at least 12 to 13 million cases occur per year worldwide. In South Africa, the disease is endemic, meaning that it is constantly present, and occurs at a low level of frequency, although the potential for outbreaks does exist.

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