Typhoid Fever - Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

 Spread through a type of bacteria known as Salmonella typhi, typhoid is an enteric fever prevalent in regions with poor sanitation. It causes by contaminated water and food, with its symptoms exhibited gradually. It is recommended to get a widal test done to determine the presence of O and H agglutinins in an individual’s bloodstream. Read on to learn more about typhoid fever: 

Symptoms 


The signs of typhoid fever are developed gradually. Thus, it is difficult to make an immediate diagnosis of this disease. People who have typhoid show early illness symptoms if they experience high fever, headaches, fatigue, muscle pain, excessive sweating, loss of appetite, acute abdominal pain and rashes. Those who have moved on to the more advanced stage tend to become delirious and feel exhausted with difficulty in making the slightest of movements. In the worst-case scenarios, internal bleeding and perforations in the intestines may develop by the third week of typhoid fever. 



Causes


The main cause of typhoid fever is the spread of Salmonella typhi from one infected person to the other. Most commonly, if an infected person does not wash their hands after using the washroom and handling food or water that other people consume, then the bacteria can spread rapidly. Another way through which it can be spread is by using toilets which have been infected with Salmonella typhi and having oral or anal intercourse with an individual carrying the bacteria. A well-priced widal test can help detect typhoid early on, especially among people exposed to contaminated water and food. 


Treatment 


For treating typhoid fever, the first step taken by a medical practitioner is to prescribe a widal test or blood culture to determine the presence of the bacteria in a patient’s blood. If the widal test results are not in the normal range, then the individual is given various antibiotics to flush out the bacteria from their system. Drinking lots of fluids is highly recommended by doctors as it helps detox the body. In situations when a person’s health has deteriorated significantly, then hospitalisation is suggested for rapid recovery. In cases where perforation of the intestines has taken place, surgery is conducted to repair the hole and clean the abdominal cavity due to intestinal leakage. 


Prevention of typhoid fever can be done by spreading awareness about proper sanitation and hygiene. 

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