How not to get infected with typhoid fever and what to do if it happens

What is typhoid fever and where does it come from

Typhoid feverTyphoid fever Is a severe intestinal infection. It is caused by the bacteria Salmonella Typhi, which enter the body with unwashed hands, food contaminated with water.

An infected person can also be a carrier of infection. If he forgets to wash his hands after using the toilet, Salmonella Typhi is left on them. It is enough to say hello to an infected person by the hand or to take food from his hands - and you already have typhoid bacteria.

Why is typhoid fever dangerous?

If the disease is left untreated, microbes multiply, and their waste products lead to the most serious intoxication of the body.

According toTyphus WHO, every year 11-20 million cases of typhus are recorded in the world. Up to 160 thousand infected die.

The most commonTyphoid fever complication of typhoid - peritonitis. Due to the defeat of bacteria, the intestinal walls become thinner, bleeding occurs in them or through holes through which the contents of the intestine enter the abdominal cavity. Peritonitis is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention.

When Salmonella Typhi travels outside the intestines and into the bloodstream, they attack other organs as well. Such complications are less common, but still possible and also dangerous:

• inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis);
• inflammation of the lining of the heart and heart valves (endocarditis);
• pneumonia;
• inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis);
• a kidney or bladder infection;
• meningitis;
• psychiatric problems: blurred consciousness, delirium, hallucinations, paranoid psychosis.

With the timely start of treatment, almost all sick people recover and it does not come to complications. Therefore, it is so important to recognize typhus in time.

What are the symptoms of typhoid fever

This disease develops gradually.Typhoid fever. The first symptoms appear on average 8-14 days after infection (however, sometimes the incubation periodTyphoid and paratyphoid can reach a month) and at first do not inspire concern - weakness, slight malaise, slightly elevated temperature. But the patient's condition worsens hour after hour.

Here are the symptoms you can suspect typhoid fever:

• Temperature that gets higher day by day. Eventually, it can reach 40.5 ° C and remain at this level for up to two weeks.
• Headache.
• Muscle pain.
• Profuse perspiration.
• Increased symptoms of intoxication: weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, insomnia.
• Dry cough.
• Abdominal pain.
• Diarrhea or constipation.
• Strong bloating.
• Rash. The rash appears 7-10 days after the onset of the disease. These are round, pink, pale patches 5–8 millimeters in diameter, concentrated mainly on the chest and abdomen.

If typhoid is left untreated, after a couple of weeks the person will start delirious, he will develop the so-called typhoid status - lethargy, stunnedness, serious sleep disturbances, trembling in the limbs, hallucinations. At the same time, life-threatening complications appear.

How not to get typhoid

The main route of infection is through the mouth. Hence the simple conclusion: make sure that everything that gets into the oral cavity is clean.

• Regularly wash your hands. Especially after using the toilet, returning from public places and before eating. It is best to do this with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds.
• Wash thoroughly fruits and vegetablesthat you plan to eat raw. Better to use boiled water for this.
• For drinking, use only boiled or bottled water.
• Boil the bulk milk.
• Avoid street food. We are talking about those dishes that are sold ready-made.

What to do if you get typhoid fever

If you suspect you have typhoid fever, contact your physician immediately. The best thing is to call a doctor at home. The physician will conduct an examination, clarify the symptoms. Be sure to tell him if you recently returned from a trip.

To confirm typhoid fever, a blood, stool, or urine test will be taken to look for Salmonella Typhi bacteria. If the diagnosis is confirmed, you will be admitted to the infectious diseases hospital.

Typhoid fever is successfully treated with antibiotics. There are many options, the doctor will choose the one that will be most effective in your case. It is also likely that you will be given an IV to cope with dehydration, which will almost certainly arise from prolonged fever and diarrhea.

If you asked for help on time, you will feel better in a couple of days. However, you will be discharged from the hospital no earlier than 21 days later.Typhoid fever (Salmonella Typhi infection) in adults. Clinical guidelines. after the temperature drops. And only if several tests show that the bacteria Salmonella Typhi are no longer in the body.

If the disease has gone far and caused complications, it will be necessary to treat them too. How and for how long the therapy will last depends on which organs are affected.