How to Recognize Typhoid

It is a common misconception that "nobody gets typhoid fever anymore." Approximately 20 million people contract this disease each year, mostly those living in developing countries. With the use of antibiotics, the mortality rate is now less than one percent, mostly consisting of the young, the old and the malnourished. It is important to take precautions when you travel to developing countries so as not to contract this disease. Read on to learn how to recognize typhoid.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Watch for a high fever (103 to 104 degrees F) that will not abate. The incubation period is between one to two weeks so if you have returned from a trip abroad, you may not realize that the fever is due to typhoid.
2. Pay attention to severe stomach pains accompanying the fever. Typhoid infects the intestinal tract first, then travels through the bloodstream into bone marrow, liver and spleen. It multiplies quickly and then reenters the bloodstream, when the symptoms begin to appear. It is then carried to the gallbladder, biliary system and lymphatic tissue of the bowels, which causes stomach distention, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
3. Note that a headache is often one of the symptoms along with lethargy, and in extreme cases you become non-responsive or unconscious. Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain tissue) is also a possible complication of typhoid fever.
4. Take note of any loss of appetite, confusion and weakness, as these are classic symptoms of typhoid. Some people suffer from anorexia and severe loss of fluids from diarrhea and may need to be fed fluids intravenously.
5. Watch if a rash appears with other symptoms of typhoid. The rash appears as flat pink spots. Chest congestion is also common, along with general aches and pains.
6. Return to your doctor if the symptoms return after you feel well for a week or two. Relapses are fairly common among those who suffer from typhoid, especially those who have been treated with antibiotics.

Tips & Warnings

• When traveling, wash your hands carefully and often with warm, soapy water, especially before eating. Wash your fruits and vegetables and boil any drinking water.
• Sometimes people recover from typhoid fever and continue to carry the bacterium in their system, and they can infect others without realizing it. After having recovered from typhoid return to your doctor from time to time, giving blood and stool samples to be tested for the bacterium. If you find you are a carrier and antibiotics do not cure the disease, you may need surgery to have your gallbladder removed. This usually cures the disease.