typhoid fever

TYPHOID FEVER

CONTENT

Introduction

Classification of bacteria

Symptoms

Transmission

Diagnosis

Prevention and Treatment

Vaccination

References

Introduction

Typhoid is a gram negative bacterial infection causing fever, rose spots in chest, abdomen and severe irritation in intestine. This disease is also called as gastric fever, nervous fever, slow fever, and abdominal typhus. The disease is transmitted through contaminated food or water with feces of an infected person, causative - bacteria of Salmonella sp.

Classification of bacteria

Scientific classification of bacteria Salmonella typhi

Super kingdom Bacteria

Kingdom Bacteria

Phylum Proteobacteria

Class Gammaproteobacteria

Order Enterobacteriales

Family Enterobacteriaceae

Genus Salmonella

Species Typhi

Rod shaped Salmonella sp

Petri dish shows colonies of Salmonella sp on agar plate

Symptoms

Symptoms generally associated with typhoid resemble Thucydides’ description. They are

• Rise in body temperature from 39degree Celsius to 40 degree Celsius (slowly increasing).

• Weakness

• Diarrhea

• Stomach pain

• Constipation

• Headache

• Loss of appetite

• Vomiting

• Myalgia (muscle pain)

• In some cases, rash or rose colored spots in chest and abdomen called “rose spots”

• Extreme possible symptoms such as hemorrhage and delusion may occur.

Classically symptoms of untreated disease are divided into for stages as their period of infection. They are

Stage one (first week): Slow increase in body temperature, fluctuating fever, headache and cough. White blood cells count starts decreasing (leucopenia) and relative lymphocytocis. Widal test is negative during first week of infection, while the blood cultures will b...

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...2S from thiosulfate and on media like Bismuth sulfite agar it can be clearly observed.

Prevention and Treatment

Prevention is better than cure; hence the travelers are recommended vaccination. Sanitary measures can prevent infection, such as regular hand wash after defecating and always before food intake. Avoid contaminated and unhygienic food. Check for water sources and control mixing of sewerage or urine or feces discharge pipelines often. In this modern era major food items are available packed and tinned; hence quality of food should be checked and properly authorized as devoid of contamination. A joint program of WHO and FAO is INFOSAN (International Food Safety Authorities Network) to control spread of food borne diseases over nationwide. It also helps nations exchange their safety food measures and share control factors to avoid contamination of food.