Drug-resistant strain of typhoid quickly spreading across the globe

A new study published Monday in the journal Nature Genetics has found that an antibiotic-resistant strain of typhoid fever is quickly spreading around the world, and has reached epidemic levels in Africa.

Researchers used genetic sequencing to track the spread of antibiotic-resistant typhoid, and found the H58 "superbug" strain in almost half of the 1,800 bacteria samples collected from 63 countries between 1992 and 2013, CBS News reports. The H58 strain, which emerged from South Asia 25 to 30 years ago, is "continuing to evolve and acquire new mutations to newer drugs," said study author Vanessa Wong, a microbiologist at Cambridge University.

People contract typhoid by consuming contaminated food or drinks, and symptoms include nausea, fever, pink spots on the chest, and abdominal pain. If left untreated, it is fatal in about 20 percent of cases, and regular strains can usually be treated with antibiotics. Annually, 20 million to 30 million people get typhoid fever around the world, and while people in the United States have access to clean water and are not at risk of contracting typhoid at home, doctors recommend getting a vaccination before traveling to areas of Africa and Asia affected by the outbreak.

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