Researchers from the Yale School of Public Health in Connecticut have identified which countries are most exposed to the threat of drug‑resistant typhoid, sometimes called supertyphoid. The findings were published in the scientific journal Nature Communications. (NatComms study)
Typhoid fever is caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. The World Health Organization reports that about 9 million people were infected in 2019, with around 110,000 deaths linked to the disease. (WHO data referenced in NatComms article)
The XDR variant of Salmonella Typhi, known for its resistance to multiple antibiotics, was first detected in Pakistan in 2016. Since then, it has become the leading strain in that country. Typhoid spreads primarily through contaminated water and food, so areas with high sanitation and clean water standards are less prone to large outbreaks. (NatComms context)
To sharpen where efforts should be focused, researchers compared air travel from Pakistan with several estimates of annual typhoid cases in other nations. This approach aimed to identify places most likely to experience a major outbreak or sustained transmission of drug‑resistant typhoid. (NatComms methodology)
The study highlights ten countries considered most at risk: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Uganda, and Kenya. It notes Afghanistan’s vulnerability is amplified by significant travel from Pakistan and ongoing health and humanitarian crises. (NatComms findings)
Earlier scientists have traced typhoid transmission to multiple sources, including domestic settings where unhygienic conditions can facilitate spread. The current analysis adds a travel‑adjusted view to help guide public health responses, vaccination strategies, and water and sanitation interventions in high‑risk regions. (NatComms synthesis)