If you have an illness that causes fever and is accompanied by symptoms such as cough and wheezing, you may have typhoid fever. typhoid fever is an extremely dangerous infection caused by the same bacterium as Salmonella typhi. It is most commonly spread through infected water or food. Symptoms include intense fever, severe headache, rash, fatigue, rectal bleeding, and/or constipation or diarrhea. In more serious cases, complications such as infection of the lungs or other organs can result from a lack of treatment.
Most cases of typhoid fever are caused by a strain of salmonella typhi bacteria. This bacterium is found in many common foods that are consumed daily. However, the bacteria can also be transferred through insect bites or handshakes. This type of infection can also occur in other animals, such as cattle. This disease can have many different causes, such as being exposed to an infected animal or drinking contaminated water. Children are most susceptible to the illness, but anyone who is exposed to the pathogen can become ill.
There are several types of treatment for different types of typhoid fever. These include blood transfusions or fluid therapy, which both increase the body’s immune What is the typhoid fever system and fight off the infection. Some people also take antibiotics to fight off the infection. Antibiotics are not always effective because the bacteria often develop resistance to the drugs over time.
People who suffer from typhoid fever will usually experience one or more of the following symptoms. These include high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, swollen glands in the neck and armpit, pain and swelling in the abdomen, and a red rash that will begin to spread across the body. If the symptoms do not clear up in a few days, they should be treated by a physician. People with mild cases of the illness often feel no symptoms but should seek medical attention if they are experiencing any of the above symptoms.
Diagnosis of typhoid fever can be done through a blood test called the sera test. In this test, the doctor will collect a sample of your blood and look for the antibody titer, or antibody, which attacks the bacteria. When the titer is detected, a result will be given. Commonly, a result will be a positive result for paratyphoid fever and no results will show for typhoid fever.
If you do receive a positive result for the infection, doctors may recommend that you receive either an antibiotic treatment or IV antibiotics. Antibiotic treatment can be given to prevent further complications from occurring. However, if the fever goes into remission for several weeks, you may stop taking the antibiotic treatment. The IV antibiotics, however, should be taken as soon as the infection is suspected, as there can be complications from the administration of antibiotics to treat a serious infection like typhoid fever. Once you do start taking the antibiotic treatment, you will likely experience additional symptoms of the illness such as muscle and joint aches, as well as a general feeling of illness.
Close to 50% of the United States population has been diagnosed with some form of acute or chronic bacterial infection at one time or another. Among these cases, many have been misdiagnosed as typhoid fever. Because of the misdiagnoses, there are relatively few cases of typhoid fever in the United States. This does not mean, however, that other diseases are not common in the south.
Beverages like milk and yogurt can also spread bacteria from one person to another. Salmonella typhi is commonly found in food containers where food particles have been left to develop for too long. Beverages like tea tree oil can also help spread the bacteria. When looking to prevent the spread of bacteria through food, it is important to wash everything thoroughly, including utensils and drinking glasses. It is also important to check for salmonella typhi on a weekly basis when cleaning your house to make sure that no traces of bacteria are being missed.
Danielle A. Casillas
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