Mary Mallon

Mary Mallon, known as "Typhoid Mary," was an asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever in the early 20th century. She was confirmed to carry the bacteria Salmonella typhi without showing illness herself. Despite this, she unintentionally spread the disease to many people through contaminated food she prepared. Her case highlighted the importance of understanding asymptomatic carriers in disease transmission and led to public health measures for controlling infectious diseases. Mary Mallon became a symbol of the challenges in managing carriers who can transmit illnesses without being sick themselves.