Typhoid Definition Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Prevention And Complication

Definition:

Typhoid fever is a bacterial disease.Caused by Salmonella typhi. It is transmitted through the ingestion of food or drink contaminated by the faeces or urine of infected people. It is also known as enteric fever. 

Symptoms:

•  High fever
•  Malaise
•  Headache
•  Constipation 
•  Diarrhoea
•  Rose-coloured spots on the chest
•  Enlarged spleen and liver
• Stomach pain
• Nonproductive cough 
• Slow heart rate
•  Anorexia

Diagnosis:

• Blood test  ( Widal test)
• Bone marrow test
• Stool for cultures

Treatment:

• Wash your hands carefully with soap and water after using the bathroom, and do not prepare or serve food for other people. This will lower the chance that will pass the infection on to some one else. 
• Fluids and electrolytes may be given through a vein (intravenously), or may be asked to drink uncontaminated water with electrolyte packets.
• Appropriate antibiotics are given to kill the bacteria,eg.Tab.or Inj. Ciprofloxacin ,Tab.or Inj.Ceftriaxone,Tab.or Inj.Cefixime,Tab.or Inj.Cefotaxime etc.

Prevention:

• Sanitation and hygiene are the critical measures that can be taken to prevent typhoid. 
•  Careful food preparation and washing of hands are crucial to preventing typhoid.

There are two vaccines licensed for use for the prevention of typhoid

•  Oral Ty21a vaccine (sold as Vivotif Berna)
• Injectable Typhoid polysaccharide vaccine (sold as Typhim Vi by Sanofi Pasteur and Typherix by GlaxoSmithKline)

Complications:

• Intestinal hemorrhage
• Intestinal perforation
• Kidney failure
• Peritonitis
• Cholecystitis
•  Endocarditis 
•  Osteitis
• Encephalitis