Typhoid is a waterborne disease caused by water contaminated with:

Concept

Waterborne diseases are infections acquired by ingesting water contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms.

A disease-causing agent can be classified as a bacterium, virus, fungus, or protozoan.

Application

Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (Salmonella Typhi), which is a bacterium.

The infection spreads when food or water is contaminated with faecal matter from an infected person or carrier.

Contrast and cross-check

• Viruses cause diseases such as hepatitis A, but they do not cause typhoid.

• Fungi can cause mycoses, but they are not the causal agents of typhoid.

• Protozoa can cause diseases such as amoebiasis, but typhoid is not a protozoal disease.

Therefore, the contaminated water in this case carries bacteria.