Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria. Typhoid fever is rare in industrialized countries.
Signs and symptoms usually include high fever, headache, abdominal pain, and either constipation or diarrhea.
When treated with antibiotics, most people with typhoid fever feel better within a few days, although a small percentage of them may die of complications.
Vaccines against typhoid fever are available, but they're only partially effective. Vaccines usually are reserved for those who may be exposed to the disease or are traveling to areas where typhoid fever is common.
Symptoms
Although children with typhoid fever sometimes become sick suddenly, signs and symptoms are more likely to develop gradually — often appearing one to three weeks after exposure to the disease.
1st week of illness
Once signs and symptoms do appear, you're likely to experience:
Once signs and symptoms do appear, you're likely to experience:
- Fever, that starts low and increases daily, often to as high as 103 or 104 F (39.4 or 40 C)
- Headache
- Weakness and fatigue
- Dry cough
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Rash
2nd week of illness
If you don't receive treatment for typhoid fever, you may enter a second stage during which you become very ill and experience:
If you don't receive treatment for typhoid fever, you may enter a second stage during which you become very ill and experience:
- Continuing high fever
- Either diarrhea or severe constipation
- Considerable weight loss
- Extremely distended abdomen
3rd week of illness
By the third week, you may:
By the third week, you may:
- Become delirious
- Lie motionless and exhausted with your eyes half-closed in what's known as the typhoid state
Life-threatening complications often develop at this time.
4th week of illness
Improvement may come slowly during the fourth week. Your fever is likely to decrease gradually until your temperature returns to normal in another week to 10 days. But signs and symptoms can return up to two weeks after your fever has subsided.
Improvement may come slowly during the fourth week. Your fever is likely to decrease gradually until your temperature returns to normal in another week to 10 days. But signs and symptoms can return up to two weeks after your fever has subsided.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor immediately if you suspect you have typhoid fever. If you become ill while traveling in a foreign country, call the U.S. Consulate for a list of doctors. Better yet, find out in advance about medical care in the areas you'll visit, and carry a list of the names, addresses and phone numbers of recommended doctors.
See a doctor immediately if you suspect you have typhoid fever. If you become ill while traveling in a foreign country, call the U.S. Consulate for a list of doctors. Better yet, find out in advance about medical care in the areas you'll visit, and carry a list of the names, addresses and phone numbers of recommended doctors.
If you develop signs and symptoms after you return home, consider consulting a doctor who focuses on international travel medicine or infectious diseases. A specialist may be able to recognize and treat your illness more quickly than can a doctor who isn't trained in these areas.
Typhoid fever is caused by a type of bacteria called Salmonella typhi.
This is not the same type of bacteria that can cause salmonella food poisoning, but the two are related.
How the infection spreads
When someone with the infection has a bowel movement, they may pass faeces that contain the Salmonella typhi bacteria. If they do not wash their hands properly after going to toilet, they can contaminate any food they touch. If this is eaten by another person, they will also become infected.
Less commonly, the Salmonella typhi bacteria can spread after a person urinates. Again, if an infected person handles food without washing their hands properly after urinating, they can spread the infection on to someone else who eats the contaminated food.
In parts of the world that have poor levels of sanitation, infected human waste can contaminate the water supply. People who drink contaminated water or eat food that has been washed in contaminated water can contract typhoid fever.
Other ways that typhoid fever can be contracted include:
- using a toilet that has been contaminated with bacteria and touching your mouth before washing your hands
- eating shellfish or similar seafood that from a water source that has been contaminated by infected faeces or urine
- having oral or anal sex with a person who is a carrier of Salmonella typhi bacteria (see below)
Carriers
If typhoid fever is not treated, an estimated 1 in 20 people who survive the infection will become carriers of the condition. This means that the Salmonella typhi bacteria continue to live in their bladder, and they can still spread typhoid fever in their faeces or urine. However, carriers of typhoid fever do not have any symptoms themselves.
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