Typhoid Fever
Typhoid Fever
Typhoid Fever (pronounced: /ˈtaɪfɔɪd ˈfiːvər/), also known as enteric fever, is a potentially fatal multisystemic illness caused primarily by the bacterium Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi.
Etymology
The term "Typhoid" comes from the Greek word "typhos", meaning smoke or cloud, which metaphorically describes the state of mind of those affected with this disease due to the associated high fever and delirium. The term "fever" is derived from the Latin word "febris", which means to heat.
Symptoms
Typhoid Fever is characterized by a sustained fever as high as 40 °C (104 °F), profuse sweating, gastroenteritis, and nonbloody diarrhea. Less commonly, a rash known as "Rose spots", which are small, faint, pink spots, may appear on the chest and abdomen.
Transmission
Typhoid Fever is spread through contaminated food, drink, or water. If you eat or drink something that's contaminated, the bacteria enter your body, and then they multiply and spread into the bloodstream. The bacteria directly invade the small intestine, via the Peyer's patches.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made by any blood, bone marrow or stool cultures and with the Widal test (demonstration of antibodies against Salmonella antigens O-somatic and H-flagellar).
Treatment
Typhoid Fever is treated with antibiotics which kill the Salmonella bacteria. Prior to the use of antibiotics, the fatality rate was 20%. Death occurred from overwhelming infection, pneumonia, intestinal bleeding, or intestinal perforation.
Prevention
Sanitation and hygiene are the critical measures that can be taken to prevent typhoid. Typhoid does not affect animals and therefore transmission is only from human to human. Typhoid can only spread in environments where human feces are able to come into contact with food or drinking water.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Typhoid Fever
- Wikipedia's article - Typhoid Fever
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