What is Typhoid Fever, How to prevent it?

Typhoid fever affects more than 21 million people annually, with about 200,000 people dying from the disease. One of that 21 million people is my friend just recently he rushed to hospital because he can't move his jaw and he can't breath because of high fever, at the hospital he diagnose with typhoid fever by typhoid laboratory examination.

What is typhoid fever, what the cause of it?

Typhoid fever is an acute illness associated with fever caused by the Salmonella typhi bacteria. And or Salmonella paratyphi, a related bacterium that usually causes a less severe illness.

http://textbookofbacteriology.net/salmonella.html

 

How Do People Get Typhoid Fever?

Typhoid fever is getting by drinking or eating food and water contaminated by salmonella bacteria. S. typhi is passed in the feces and sometimes in the urine of infected people. You can contract the infection if you eat food handled by someone with typhoid fever who hasn't washed carefully after using the toilet. You can also become infected by drinking water contaminated with the bacteria of Typhoid carriers

How is bacteria going and how Typhoid Fever Diagnosed?

After the ingestion of contaminated food or water, the Salmonella bacteria invade the small intestine and enter the bloodstream temporarily. The bacteria are carried by white blood cells in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, where they multiply and reenter the bloodstream. The bacteria pass into the intestinal tract and can be identified in stool samples. If a test result isn't clear, blood samples will be taken to make a diagnosis.

 

What Are the Symptoms of Typhoid Fever?

People develop symptoms, including fever, as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit at this point. Bacteria invade the gallbladder, biliary system, and the lymphatic tissue of the bowel. Here, they multiply in high numbers. Poor appetite Headaches Generalized aches and pains Lethargy Diarrhea Chest congestion develops in many people, and abdominal pain and discomfort, eruption of red spots on the chest and severe intestinal irritation.

How Is Typhoid Fever Treated?

Typhoid fever is treated with antibiotics which kill the Salmonella bacteria. Specific antibiotics such as ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin are often used to treat cases of typhoid. Death may occur from overwhelming infection, pneumonia, intestinal bleeding, or intestinal perforation. There is usually improvement within one to two days and recovery within seven to 10 days.

If you don't receive treatment for typhoid fever, you will experience:

Continuing high fever Either diarrhea or severe constipation Considerable weight loss Extremely distended abdomen you may also Become delirious Lie motionless and exhausted with your eyes half-closed in what's known as the typhoid state. Life-threatening complications may often develop.

If you treated immediately Improvement may come slowly, your fever is likely to decrease gradually until your temperature returns to normal.

See a doctor immediately if you suspect you have typhoid fever. Several antibiotics are effective for the treatment of typhoid fever.

How to prevent typhoid fever:

• A typhoid vaccine is recommended if you are planning to visit a country where typhoid fever is prevalent. However, the vaccine is not always effective

• Careful food monitoring-When you are in an area where typhoid fever is prevalent.

• Drink only bottled water or water that has been boiled for at least one minute. This includes ice.

• Eat foods while they are still hot, and ensure that they are thoroughly cooked.

• Avoid any raw fruits and vegetables that cannot be peeled.

• Avoid raw shellfish.

• Avoid unpasteurized dairy products.

Source:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/typhoid-fever/basics/definition/con-20028553
http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/typhoid_fever/fact_sheet.htm
http://www.thirdage.com/hc/c/typhoid-fever-prevention
http://www.m.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/typhoid-fever