Typhoid
Quick facts about typhoid: Typhoid fever is a common bacterial infection in low-income countries. Left untreated, it kills in about 25 percent of cases. Symptoms include high fever and stomach problems. Some people carry germs without symptoms Most of the cases reported in the United States are found overseas. The only way to treat typhoid is with antibiotics. What is typhoid? Typhoid is a disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhimurium. The bacterium lives in the intestines and blood of humans. It spreads from person to person through direct contact with the feces of an infected person. No animals carry the disease, so the infection is always human to human. Left untreated, about one in 5 cases of typhoid can be fatal. With treatment, less than 4 out of 100 cases are fatal. Salmonella typhi enters the mouth and spends 1 to 3 weeks in the gut. After this, it enters the intestinal wall and enters the bloodstream. From the blood, it spreads to other tissues and organs. The host's immune system can do little to fight because Salmonella typhi can live inside the host cells, safe in the immune system. Typhoid is diagnosed by the presence of S. typed with blood, feces, urine, or a bone marrow sample. Symptoms usually begin between 6 and 30 days after exposure to the bacteria. Two major symptoms of typhoid fever and rash. Typhoid fever is very high, gradually increasing in a few days to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, or 39 to 40 degrees Celsius. The rash, which does not affect every patient, contains rosy spots, especially on the neck and abdomen. Other symptoms may include weakness, abdominal pain, constipation, and headaches. Rarely, symptoms may include confusion, diarrhea, and vomiting, but this is rarely the worst. In severe cases, untreated, the intestines may have holes. This can lead to peritonitis, an infection of the lining of the abdomen, which has been reported to be fatal in between 5 and 62 percent of cases. Another disease, paratyphoid, is caused by Salmonella enterica. It has the same symptoms as typhoid, but it is less likely to kill. Treatment: The only effective treatment for typhoid is antibiotics. The most commonly used are ciprofloxacin (for non-pregnant adults) and ceftriaxone. In addition to antibiotics, it is important to replenish water by drinking enough water. In severe cases, when the intestines are punctured, surgery may be necessary. Resistance to typhoid antibiotics: Like several other bacterial infections, there are currently concerns about the increased resistance of antibiotics to S. Typhi. This contributes to the selection of available drugs to treat typhoid. In recent years, for example, typhoid has developed resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ampicillin. Ciprofloxacin, one of the main types of typhoid drugs, also suffers from the same complications. Some studies have found resistance levels of Salmonella typhimurium to about 35 percent. Causes: Typhoid is caused by the S virus. typhi also spreads through food, beverages, and drinking water contaminated with infected feces. Washing fruits and vegetables can spread if dirty water is used. Some people do not have typhoid symptoms, which means they are infected but do not experience any side effects. Some continue to contract the virus after their symptoms have gone away. In some cases, the disease may recur. People who are tested for HIV as carriers may not be allowed to work with children or adults until medical tests show that it is clear.
Prevention: Countries
without clean water and washing facilities often have high rates of typhoid
fever. Vaccination: Before going to a high-risk area, vaccination for
typhoid fever is recommended. This can be achieved with oral medication or just
one injection: Oral: a living, reduced goal. It contains 4 pills,
one to be taken every second day, the last to be taken 1 week before the trip. Shot, an inactive vaccine, is given 2 weeks before
the trip. Vaccines do not work 100 percent and caution should
be exercised when eating and drinking. Vaccination should not be started if a person is
currently ill or under 6 years of age. Anyone with HIV should not take a
healthy, oral dose. The vaccine may have side effects. One in 100 people
will have the flu. After oral vaccination, there may be stomach problems,
nausea, and headaches. However, serious side effects are rare in any vaccine. There are two types of typhoid vaccine available,
but the most potent vaccine is still needed. The live, oral version of the
vaccine is powerful in both. After 3 years, it still protects people from
infection 73 percent of the time. However, this policy also has additional
negative consequences. Current vaccines do not always work, and because
typhoid is so prevalent in poor countries, more research needs to be done to
find better ways to prevent its spread.
To
eradicate typhoid: Even when typhoid symptoms have
passed, it is still possible to carry the virus. This makes it difficult to eradicate the disease,
since those who carry their symptoms may be less careful when washing food or
in contact with others. People traveling to Africa, South America, and Asia,
and India in particular, have to be careful. To
avoid infection: Typhoid
fever is transmitted through contact with the infected person's feces. This can
happen with an infected water source or when handling food. The following are some common rules to follow when
traveling to help reduce the risk of typhoid infection: Drink bottled water, preferably carbonated. If bottled water is not available, be sure to boil
the water in a rolling boil for at least one minute before eating it. Be careful
not to eat anything that has been touched by another person. Avoid eating out
at street restaurants, and eat only hot food. Do not freeze drinks. Avoid raw
fruits and vegetables, peel fruit yourself, and do not eat the peel.
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