Typhoid fever | causes |symptoms | treatment

 

Typhoid Fever

Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella Typhi, a life-threatening infection. Typhoid fever is also called enteric fever. It is usually spread through contaminated food and water or direct contact with an infected person.

Every year, typhoid affects millions of people worldwide, especially in areas with poor sanitation and hygiene.

Causes and Transmission

Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella Typhi bacteria. They live only in humans, and once they are ingested, they multiply and spread into the bloodstream. Typhoid fever spreads through contaminated food and water or direct contact with an infected person. Typhoid fever risk is higher in populations that have poor sanitation and hygiene.

Symptoms

Symptoms of typhoid fever usually develop within one to three weeks after exposure to bacteria. Symptoms of typhoid fever include:

• Fever starts low then gradually increases to 104.9 F
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Weakness and Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Muscle aches

Diagnosis

It is difficult for healthcare providers to rule out typhoid by physical examination as its symptoms are similar to other illnesses like malaria or dengue fever. Typhoid fever can be diagnosed by blood test, stool sample, or bone marrow test to detect Salmonella Typhi.

Treatment

Antibiotics are most effective for the treatment of Typhoid Fever. The most commonly used antibiotics for typhoid fever are ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, and ceftriaxone. It’s important to complete the full course of antibiotics, even if symptoms improve. In the case of antibiotic resistance, the doctor may prescribe alternative treatments. Treatment duration for Typhoid fever is 7-14 days.

Prevention

Some important preventive measures for typhoid fever are:

• Get a typhoid vaccination. Typhoid conjugate vaccine is given as a single injectable dose in children from 6 months of age and in adults up to 45 or 65 years.
• Wash your hands properly and frequently with soap before eating food.
• Eat properly cooked food.
• Wash vegetables before cooking.
• Do not drink untreated or contaminated water.