Salmonella typhi infections in the United States, 1967-1972: increasing importance of international travelers.

Isolates of Salmonella typhi from 3661 persons in the United States were reported to the Center for Disease Control from 1967 to 1972. Available case reports and carrier lists for the patients from whom the isolates were recovered were reviewed. During this period the yearly number of travel-associated cases rose 270% and, in contrast to indigenous cases, the number of travel-associated ones increased each year. This increase was largely due to cases associated in some way with Mexico. Furthermore, residents of the United States with Hispanic surnames were at higher risk of contracting typhoid in this country than was the rest of the population. Most indigenous cases were in children or young adults and were not linked to recognized outbreaks. Most known typhoid carriers in the United States are elderly women.