In Pakistan, a serious health risk, especially to children, is being posed by an increasing outbreak of drug-resistant typhoid.
Among the many afflicted is eight-year-old Ukasha, who has a protracted case of typhoid fever that ought to have been treated in a matter of days. For the past month, he has been bedridden due to an extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strain of Salmonella typhi.
Although typhoid is mostly treatable with medications, it can be fatal if left untreated. It is typically spread via contaminated food and drink.
As the bacteria get resistant to these antibiotics, their efficacy is decreasing. Over 15,000 cases of XDR-typhoid have been documented from Pakistan; however, many outbreaks remain unreported.
