According to the San Francisco Department of Health, a worker at the Nordstrom Café may have spread typhoid fever in April. Anyone who ate at that restaurant at the Stonestown Galleria Mall in San Francisco on April 16, 17, 18, 20, or 27, 2013 are at risk for becoming ill.
The employee apparently got sick during a trip outside the country. Symptoms of typhoid fever include fever, weakness, stomach pains, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite. Some patients can develop a rash of flat, rose-colored spots. Symptoms between within 8 to 14 days after exposure, but some people won’t get sick until 30 days after exposure. One of the problems with the illness is that typhoid fever can resemble the flu and other illnesses, so many people won’t go to the doctor.
Tomás J. Aragón, Health Officer for City and County of San Francisco, said, “Persons who are at risk because they dined at the Stonestown Nordstrom Café on one of those dates should see a health care provider right away if they are feeling unwell, and should tell their physician that they may have been exposed to typhoid fever. There is testing and effective treatment available. If you suspect you have typhoid fever, do not prepare food or drink for anyone and do not care for young children, hospitalized patients, or persons with weakened immune systems.”
The illness is caused by Salmonella Typhi. Only 300 to 400 cases of typhoid fever occur every year in the U.S. The only way to diagnose the disease is by testing stool, blood, and urine samples for the presence of the bacteria. Untreated typhoid can be fatal. Patients who are not treated can feel sick for weeks or months and can spread the bacteria to others.
