Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi bacteria is the name of the bacteria which induces typhoid fever in an individual’s body. The bacteria are usually present in contaminated water and food. A human carrier when in contact with a bacterium can then spread the disease to other people in his or her vicinity. More than 20 million humans are affected by this disease globally each year.
Typhoid fever is generally caused by contaminated food products or water bodies, close contact with typhoid patients can also cause the disease. The general symptoms of the disease are high fever, headache, stomach pain, constipation, and diarrhea. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms its recommended to go for a typhoid test.
What causes typhoid fever?
Lack of sanitation and communal hygiene in many developing countries has led to typhoid troubling millions of humans across the globe. Salmonella typhi is the name of the bacteria which causes typhoid across humans. The bacteria are present in contaminated water bodies and food items. When ingested or consumed by an individual it leads to the disease known as typhoid. Factors that could increase the chances of you getting typhoid are:
- Professions where exposure to the bacteria is imminent such as hospitals and laboratories.
- Being in proximity with individuals already suffering from typhoid
- Being in developing countries where sanitation and communal hygiene is not maintained.
What are the symptoms of typhoid fever?
The disease affects the intestine the most and hence the individual suffers from problems related to digestion. Post the exposure to the bacteria the symptoms start to show within two weeks. The general period that the disease lasts is for 21-28 days if not more. Symptoms of typhoid fever include:
- Abdominal pain and discomfort are common symptoms which are experienced by typhoid patients.
- Headaches and other kinds of body aches could also be expected.
- Diarrhea and poor appetite are other common symptoms of typhoid.
- Chest congestion and fatigue could also be experienced by many patients.
The stages of typhoid fever:
Generally, there are 4 stages of typhoid fever, and each could last up to a week. The 4 stages are:
- First stage: dry cough and headache are one of the preliminary indications or symptoms of typhoid. Fever could also occur during the first stage but only mild variants. The body temperature is only a little higher than the normal temperature during the first stage.
- Second stage: the second stage is expected to come into action after the first-week post-exposure to the bacteria. During the second stage, high fever can be expected and bloating of the stomach also happens. Hallucination, fatigue, and fever dreams are common complaints of patients in the second stage. This is the time when you should ideally go for a typhoid test.
- Third stage: the third stage is extremely severe. Intestinal or abdominal hemorrhage can happen as the condition gets worse. Delirium can also be introduced in the picture and extreme cases of dehydration might also occur. The patient faces difficulty in performing basic body actions such as getting up and lying down.
- Fourth stage: the last stage of typhoid is the worst out of all the other stages. Kidney failure and even pneumonia can be developed in patients. Some patients also face a relapse where the disease usually returns after the antibiotics have ended.
Diagnosis of typhoid fever:
If any individual is facing the aforementioned symptoms of typhoid fever it is highly recommended to go for a typhoid test. Early diagnosis of the disease can lead up to healthy and safe recovery in many individuals. The medical professional will conduct a thorough physical examination and then will go through your test results to produce an accurate diagnosis. In addition to regular typhoid tests your doctor could also recommend you for:
- Blood tests: using blood culture to detect the presence of bacterium which might be causing the disease in the individual.
- Stool tests: urine and stool are examined to check the presence of any foreign bacterium
- Widal antigen test: The Widal test can detect the antibodies of the bacterium which might be causing the disease in the individual.
Concluding Thoughts
Typhoid could turn out to be a life-threatening disease in many cases. In severe cases, typhoid leads to more complicated health conditions such as meningitis and pneumonia to occur in the patient. It’s always recommended to take precautions as prevention is better than cure.
If you or anyone around you is showing symptoms of typhoid, it is recommended to go for a typhoid test as soon as possible. Furthermore, proximity with affected individuals should never be tolerated as it increases the chances of you encountering the same disease. Consulting a medical professional can help typhoid patients to recover smoothly.
