Is a loved one in your family experiencing symptoms like fever, diarrhea or bloody stool? Then it is high time to get some medical tests done! He may be suffering from typhoid, an infectious disease. The disease, featuring acute fever of short duration, occurs only in humans. It is caused by the bacterium "Salmonella Typhi". It is one of the life threatening illnesses and still very common in the developing countries. It affects around 21.5 million people each year. Children have the higher probability to get affected in comparison to the adults.
The disease begins after indigestion of contaminated food and water. The bacteria invade the small intestine and enter the blood stream. They are carried by the white blood cells to the liver, spleen and bone marrow. The bacteria then multiply in the cells of these organs and re-enter the blood stream. Some bacteria pass from the liver to the gall bladder and the bile ducts and secreted into the intestine where they establish a secondary infection and may cause diarrhea.
How Does the Typhoid Infection Get Transmitted?
- Through contaminated food, drink, or water.
- Through Contamination of the water supply which taint the food.
- Directly through mouth
- Elderly women with chronic gallbladder disease are carriers of the typhoid bacteria.
- Eating of foods infected with flies which have landed on feces of infected individuals.
- Through the urine and stool of infected persons.
- Open sewage
- Patients with acute illness can contaminate the surrounding water supply through stool, which contains a high concentration of the bacteria.
- By the people who use the bathroom and do not wash their hands well and then directly prepare or serve food.
- Some patients suffer a very mild illness that goes unrecognized.
- From the bacteria which can survive for weeks in water or dried sewage.
- Via the bacterium which multiplies in the gallbladder, bile ducts or liver and passes into the bowel.
- Through the hepatic duct or the bloodstream.
- From those people who have recovered from typhoid fever, but continue to be the carriers of the bacteria. They may have no symptom, but they can still pass on the disease to the others.
Signs and Symptoms of Typhoid
Early symptoms include fever, malaise and abdominal pain. After an incubation period of 10 to 14 days, the bacteria come out of the cells and enter the bloodstream. The person suffering may experience:
- Severe abdominal pain
- Agitation
- Blood in stools
- Chills
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Severe headache
- Generalized aches and pain
- Weakness
- High fever
- Constipation
- Anemia
Diagnosis of Typhoid
Typhoid fever can be detected by means of medical tests like blood test, platelet count, stool and urine tests.
Treatment for Typhoid
It is generally treated with antibiotics that kill the bacteria. Nowadays, vaccines are also available for people traveling to other countries.
Role of Diet in Treating Typhoid Fever
A high calorie, high protein, high carbohydrate, low fat, high-in-fluids, low fiber and bland diet is suggested for people suffering from typhoid. Intestinal inflammation will not permit the intake of irritating fibers and spices. Initially, clear liquids are to be given followed by full liquid and a soft diet. Soft diet should be introduced after some improvement symptoms get noticed. This disease involves water loss and electrolyte imbalance in the body and thus, proper liquids and other fluids should be given at regular intervals to meet the body's water and electrolyte requirements.
Here are the foods to be included:
- Fruit juices with glucose
- Coconut water
- Barley water
- Milk and milk shakes (if there is no diarrhea)
- Custard
- Thin dal (pulses)
- Curries
- Eggs
- Baked fish
- Meat
- Curds
- Cottage cheese
- Cereals
- Gruels
- Steamed vegetables juices
- Milk puddings
- vegetable puree
Here are the foods to be avoided:
- Butter
- Ghee (clarified butter)
- Vegetable oil
- Chilies and other spices
- Rich pastries
- Fried foods
- Cream soups
Prevention of Typhoid
- You need to keep up proper sanitation and hygiene standards in order to prevent typhoid.
- You need to implement safe and hygienic practices while handling, washing or cooking foods.
- You should provide care to the infected persons while keeping them in isolation.
- Typhoid vaccination is a way to keep this disease away.
Supportive measures are important in the management of typhoid fever. More than 90% of the patients can be treated at home with oral antibiotics. You only need to be a reliable caretaker, who can conduct close follow-ups for further developments or complications or to examine the patient's responses to the treatment.
