Typhoid Mary
Unwitting disease spreader
Typhoid Mary is someone who spreads disease, trouble, or misfortune wherever they go—often unknowingly.
The term comes from Mary Mallon, an Irish cook in early 20th-century New York who infected dozens with typhoid fever while showing no symptoms herself.
The figurative sense dominates now: He's the Typhoid Mary of office drama—wherever he goes, conflict follows.
Unfairly blamed person
- pariahRejected, shunned person
- outcastShunned, rejected person
- vilificationAbusive condemnation of someone
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
ostracism · shame · exclusion · discrimination · labeling · notorious · infamous · marginalization
Diseased without outward signs
- super-spreaderHighly contagious transmitter
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
- transmissionSending of information
- contagionDisease spread by contact
healthy carrier · shedding · reservoir · incubation · persistent · symptomless · spreader · infectious
Complete separation from others
- detentionTemporary official holding
- confinementState of being restricted
- containmentPreventing hostile expansion
- lockdownEnforced restriction on movement
seclusion · segregation · restriction · exclusion · involuntary · imprisonment · public safety · civil liberties
Heat food for eating
- New YorkNortheastern metropolis and state
- 1900sCentury's inaugural decade
- quarantineIsolation preventing disease transmission
- Irish immigrantPerson relocated from Ireland
Tool for distribution
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
- unwittingNot aware or conscious
- bad influenceOne who encourages wrongdoing
- contaminatorAgent that corrupts purity
scapegoat
Unfairly blamed person
- pariahRejected, shunned person
- outcastShunned, rejected person
- vilificationAbusive condemnation of someone
blame · ostracism · shame · exclusion · discrimination · labeling · notorious · infamous · marginalization · prejudice
asymptomatic
Diseased without outward signs
- super-spreaderHighly contagious transmitter
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
- transmissionSending of information
healthy carrier · contagion · shedding · reservoir · incubation · persistent · symptomless · spreader · infectious · communicable
isolation
Complete separation from others
- detentionTemporary official holding
- confinementState of being restricted
- containmentPreventing hostile expansion
lockdown · seclusion · segregation · restriction · exclusion · involuntary · imprisonment · public safety · civil liberties · indefinite detention
cook
Heat food for eating
- New YorkNortheastern metropolis and state
- 1900sCentury's inaugural decade
- quarantineIsolation preventing disease transmission
spreader
Tool for distribution
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
- unwittingNot aware or conscious
- bad influenceOne who encourages wrongdoing
- US Medical Historypolio vaccine, Jonas Salk, Salk vaccine, Clara Barton, Walter Reed
- public healthdisease prevention, immunization, disease control, health education, epidemiology
- Famous Marys
- criminalsmurderer, thief, burglar, criminal, killer
Typhoid Maryquarantiner
Person separated for contagion control
vaccinator · healer · Jonas Salk · Louis Pasteur · epidemiologist
Typhoid MaryFlorence Nightingale
healer · Good Samaritan · guardian angel · protector · lifesaver