Causes, Symptoms and Treatment of Typhoid Fever

Typhoid fever is a disease caused by a bacterium called Salmonella Typhi (S.Typhi) that thrives only in human beings and is expelled from the body through stool or urine.

One gets typhoid fever by eating or drinking food or water that is contaminated with human body wastes. Typhoid fever is highly infectious and can spread from one member of the family to another. As the disease is spread by infected persons through their stool, vomit or urine, food handlers at home, hotels and restaurants who are carriers of S.Typhi particularly pose the greatest risk to the vulnerable groups.

Everyone is at risk of getting typhoid fever. The most affected age-sets are children above five years of age, adolescents and young adults.

The symptoms of typhoid fever include fever, body aches, diarrhea and vomiting-symptoms that resemble those of malaria.

Other symptoms include fatigue, abdominal pains and constipation. Severity of typhoid fever however depends on the degree of contamination, the patient's age and the rapidity with which correct treatment is started.

It is important to consult a doctor urgently once you suspect that you or your child has typhoid or after the above symptoms. After examination, the doctor will advise you on whether you need to have a laboratory test done. This will confirm the presence or absence of the S.Typhi bacteria in the blood, urine or stool.

Typhoid fever can be fatal. In serious cases, complications such as intestinal perforations, bleeding heart and nervous disorders can develop leading to death. Misdiagnosis of the disease, often because symptoms of typhoid are similar to those of other diseases, also easily leads to death. Death occurs in between 10% and 30% of untreated cases. It is therefore important to make a correct diagnosis promptly so that the infection is treated early.
Typhoid fever is treated using antibiotics prescribed by a doctor.

However, deaths due to typhoid remain high often due delayed introduction of treatment, and also due to the germs resistance to some antibiotics.

Exercising basic sanitary and hygiene measures is the first line of action recommended for the prevention of typhoid fever. As the typhoid causing bacterium is transmitted by water and food, it is important to apply cleanliness in food preparation and handling.

You can also opt for vaccination to protect yourself against typhoid. The vaccines are effective and have almost no side effects.