Spreading beyond what doctors can stop, more threat to Pakistan, spreading across the world

NEW DELHI: A new study has found that some traditional diseases are spreading across the world in a way that doctors cannot prevent. A new study by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows that cases of typhoid and paratyphoid are increasing in England, Wales and Southern Ireland. 702 cases were reported last year. This is an eight percent increase from 2023 in one year and is also the highest annual record.

Typhoid and paratyphoid are diseases caused by Salmonella bacteria and spread through contaminated food or water. The UK study report also says that typhoid, which is resistant to drugs, is spreading in countries like Pakistan, raising concerns.

National media reported that 13 million cases of typhoid and paratyphoid are reported worldwide each year, with more than 133,000 deaths. It mostly affects school children in Asia and Africa. Although many developed countries ignore this growing concern, the threat posed by these figures is not small in today’s interconnected world.

Studies have shown that Salmonella bacteria are increasingly resistant to drugs. The concern is that strains that can be treated with existing drugs are rapidly being replaced by resistant strains. Currently, the only effective treatment for typhoid is antibiotics. However, reports indicate that over the past three decades, Salmonella resistance to commonly used oral antibiotics has been increasing and spreading.