Paratyphoid Fever Fact Sheet

What is paratyphoid fever?

Paratyphoid fever is a serious bacterial infection caused by a type of Salmonella bacteria called Salmonella enterica paratyphi.
Paratyphoid fever is not common in Ontario. Cases are mostly linked with travel to countries that do not have adequate food safety, or sewage and water treatment.

Symptoms usually appear within one to ten days after being exposed.
Symptoms usually include fever, headache, and malaise.
Other symptoms may include decreased bowel movements, lack of hunger, slower heart rate, enlargement of the spleen, cough, and rash on the upper body referred to as rose spots.
Serious side effects can occur two to three weeks after becoming sick and may include intestinal hemorrhage or perforation.

It is spread to other people by the fecal-oral route. This means that the bacteria from the feces (stool) of the infected person must get into the mouth of another person for the infection to spread.
Most commonly, this happens when someone eats or drinks contaminated food or water. Contaminated milk and milk products, unwashed raw fruits and vegetables, and raw or undercooked shellfish harvested from contaminated water are often sources of this infection.

Most people will no longer have the bacteria in their stool two weeks after they first developed symptoms.

Treatment is at the discretion of your healthcare provider and may involve antibiotic therapy.

Only eat food that has been well cooked and is still hot when served.
When travelling to areas where water and food safety is uncertain, use only sealed bottled water or treated (chemically disinfected or boiled) water.
Avoid undercooked foods, especially shellfish and fish. Shellfish should be boiled and steamed for 10 minutes prior to eating. Avoid raw foods.
Always wash your hands well with soap and water for at least 15 seconds before cooking, preparing, eating, or serving food.
Always wash your hands after going to the bathroom or changing diapers and anytime your hands may be dirty.

Contact the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) Program at 705-474-1400, or toll-free at 1-800-563-2808, ext. 5229 or email us at cdc@healthunit.ca.

Heyman (2022). Control of Communicable Diseases Manual. 21^stedition. American Public Health Association. Washington, DC. pp. 681-688
Ministry of Health. (2022). Infectious Diseases Protocol, Appendix 1: Paratyphoid Fever.
Louise K., Francois Watkins, David C. Shin, and Layne Dorough. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026). Travel Related Infectious Diseases: Typhoid & Paratyphoid Fever.

Created: March 2026, by CDC