Dorothy FarrarTyphoid
Typhoid fever is a serious diarrhoeal disease that occurs mainly as a result of poor hygienic conditions. For this reason, it usually affects travelers who have previously been in tropical countries or countries with inadequate hygienic care. Typhus is very rare in Germany.
What is typhoid fever?
Until the 20th century, typhus was also quite widespread in Germany. However, this was not only due to the poor living conditions of poor people, but also to the application of the term “typhoid” to a number of febrile illnesses with similar symptoms.
Today, doctors understand typhoid fever as two different forms. The actual typhus is typhus abdominalis or abdominal typhus. In addition, paratyphoid fever is also described, which, however, is only a typhoid disease.
Causes
Typhoid fever is caused by salmonella. These are rod-shaped bacteria that occur all over the world and prefer to multiply on food and usually transmit diseases through the consumption of contaminated food.
The intestinal disease typhoid fever is caused by a very special form of salmonella, the so-called Salmonella Typhi. The attenuated form of typhoid, paratyphoid, is caused by Salmonella paratyphi.
These bacteria are very common worldwide, but are usually only transmitted due to poor hygienic conditions. These are usually given when no or only inadequate sanitary facilities are available, so that food comes into contact with human and animal excrement and is thus contaminated.
People infected with typhoid fever excrete the bacteria with their feces. As a result, the bacteria get into the water, which ultimately waters, especially salad, fruits and vegetables and thus get onto these foods. Those who eat contaminated food eventually also fall ill with typhoid. So-called typhus countries are mainly found in North Africa, the Middle East, South America and Asia. Typhoid fever is also common in some countries of Southern and Eastern Europe.
When to see a doctor?
Headache and body aches, fever and cough may indicate typhoid. A visit to the doctor is recommended if the symptoms become stronger within two to three days and cause a strong feeling of illness that cannot be alleviated by the typical home remedies. If there is already a concrete suspicion, for example if the symptoms occur after contact with a sick person or the consumption of a possibly contaminated food, a doctor must be consulted immediately who can diagnose and treat the condition.
Pregnant women, children, the elderly and people who already have a weakened immune system should also go to a general practitioner quickly if there is a suspicion of a febrile illness. In the case of typhoid, the family doctor is the first point of contact. Other contact persons are the internist or the hospital if the disease is already well advanced. If cardiovascular complaints become noticeable, it is best to contact the emergency medical service. An advanced disease must be treated in the clinic, as there may be a danger to life.
Symptoms and course
Typical symptoms:
Typhoid fever is one of the notifiable infectious diseases. The first symptoms are usually quite unspecific, which is why typhoid fever can initially be confused with flu or even malaria. However, the rule of thumb is that a high fever should not last longer than four days. Otherwise, a test for typhoid would be appropriate.
The incubation period, i.e. the time between the actual infection and the onset of the disease, depends on the amount of pathogens ingested and therefore varies, but is usually about three to four days. Typical symptoms initially resemble flu. These include, for example, headaches and body aches. The sick person feels dull and usually has constipation. The fever rises in typhoid fever like stairs until values between 39 ° C and 41 ° C are reached, which can last up to three weeks.
It is characteristic here that the heart beats very slowly compared to the high fever – normally, the higher the body temperature, the faster the heart beats. In the further course, there is often an enlargement of the spleen, impaired consciousness and a rash with reddish spots. Also typical is the so-called typhoid tongue, which is raspberry red at the edges and tips, but with a thick, gray-white coating in the middle. Diarrhoea, usually pea-shaped in typhus, occurs only after about 14 days. Late effects of typhoid fever can include meningitis, a perforated intestine, bone suppuration and hair loss.
Diagnosis
Both forms of typhoid, Salmonella typhi and the weakened form of paratyphoid, can only be detected in the early stages by examining the blood count or bone marrow. Evidence of the bone marrow must usually be provided if treatment with antibiotics has already been initiated. In this case, the bacteria in the blood are often no longer present or are present in insufficient numbers for a blood culture. The pathogen can only be detected in the urine or stool from the second week of illness.
treatment and therapy
Left untreated, both typhoid and paratyphoid are often fatal. Since both diseases are highly contagious, patients must be isolated.
In most cases, the patient is admitted to a hospital, where the patient is usually treated with antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, cephalosporin) for two weeks. These are administered in tablet form or, in particularly severe cases, via an infusion.
It is also important that the patient drinks a lot and, above all, is supplied with electrolytes ( Minerals ) in order to compensate for the loss of water and minerals during diarrhea.
So-called permanent excretors must be treated with special antibiotics over a period of several weeks.
Prevention
The best prevention of typhoid is very good hygiene. It is essential to follow the basic rule “cook it – boil it – peel it – or forget it”. This means that food should never be eaten raw, unwashed or unpeeled. Travelers should also never use water from a water pipe or well without boiling it first. Vaccination is available for travelers to risk areas.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.