Typhoid fever is an acute infectious disease caused by bacterium called Salmonella typhimurium or salmonella paratyphi which is associated with fever .The bacterium dwells in the intestine and blood stream of humams . Mode of transmission is direct contact with feces of an infected person, through contaminated food and water as well as poor sanitation. Transmission is only via human to human.
In a summary it is transmitted from person to person through the fecal -oral means where an infected person or asymptotic individual who does not show signs with poor hand or body hygiene passes on the infections to another person when handling food and water. Typhoid fever becomes dangerous and fetal if not treated immediately.It may lead to high fever. The point of contact is through the mouth and will spread within 21days into the intestine and later make its way into the blood stream before later spreading into other tissues and organs. At this stage the immune system becomes dormant or inactive toward the salmonella bacteria. The salmonella bacteria can live safely without an attack from the immune system.
The presence of the salmonella bacteria is detected through the following test, blood, stool, urine and bone marrow sample.
TYPHOID CARRIERS
Over time, a section of persons who recover from typhoid fever may have the salmonella bacteria in the intestinal tract and or the gallbladder for years. These persons are known as carriers . These carriers shed the bacteria in their feces and are able to infect others although they the carries no longer have sign of the disease.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
1. Poor appetite for food.
2. Body weakness and fatigue.
3. Abdominal pain or swollen abdomen.
4. Constipation.
5. Headache.
6. Minor vomiting.
7. Fever associated with high body temperature.
8. Prolong fever.
9. Diarrhea.
10. Unusual Sweating.
11.Dry cough.
12. Becomes delirious.
13. Lethargy. 14. Muscle aches
COMPLICATIONS OF TYPHOID FEVER. The major complication are 1. Intestinal bleeding.
2. Holes or perforations in the intestine. This happens when both small and large intestines develop holes causing the contents of the intestine to leak out into the abdominal chamberwhich is associated with severe abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting and blood stream infections.
Minor complications
1. Inflammation within the lining of the heart and valves.
2. Inflammation of the heart mpuscles.
Inflammation of the pancreas.
3. Pneumonia
4.Kidney and Bladder infection
5. Infection and inflammation of the membranes and fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
6. Hallucinations.
7. Paranoid psychosis.
CARE AND PREVENTION
1. Keep to safe drinking water: avoid untreated water as much as possible.
2. Keep proper sanitation, especially foods joints
3. Avoid consumption of raw fruits and vegetables without washing them thoroughly.
4. Consume hot foods. 5. Wash hands with soap and water before eating. 6. Wash hands with soap and water after visiting the toilet.
Tyhoid lives with us , let us be tactical and serious .
References
1.https://www.mayo clinic.org/…./typhoid
2. https://www.I am at.irg/…/typhoidfever
3. https://www.medicinenet.com/typhoid…
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