Typhoid fever treatment and food
Typhoid fever
Typhoid is a gram-negative bacterial disease, this bacteria is known as Salmonella Typhi, which is rod-shaped. It affects only human being & lives inside the cells so it becomes difficult to control & so the immune system of the human being cannot control it quickly. It occupies the cells of the intestine in the start & later spreads through blood circulation to other areas of the body. Its symptoms are shown between 6 - 14 days.
What is typhoid fever?
Typhoid infection is transmitted by consumption of contaminated food or drink. The incubation period is 5-14 days. Salmonella is an intracellular pathogen. Having crossed the epithelial barrier, organisms invade and replicate in macrophages in Peyer patches, mesenteric lymph nodes, and the spleen.
Serotypes other than typhi usually do not cause invasive disease, presumably because they lack the necessary human-specific virulence factors.
Bacteremia occurs, and the infection then localizes principally in the lymphoid tissue of the small intestine(particularly within 60 cm of the ileocecal valve). Peyer patches become inflamed and may ulcerate, with involvement greatest during the third week of disease.
The organism may disseminate to the lungs, gallbladder, kidneys, or central nervous system.
Symptoms and Signs of typhoid
After about 7-10 days, it reaches a plateau and the patient is much more ill., High-grade fever (103 -104 degree Fahrenheit ) headache, nausea, diarrhoea or constipation, anaemia, loss of appetite, Cough, weakness, vomiting, abdominal pain. Rose spots, relative bradycardia, splenomegaly, and abdominal distention and tenderness.Slow (stepladder) rise of fever to a maximum and then slow return to normal.
B. Laboratory Findings :
Typhoid fever is best diagnosed by blood culture or stool. Relative bradycardia and leukopenia are typical. Leukopenia; blood, stool, and urine culture positive for salmonella
*Differential Diagnosis :
About 30% of people die of typhoid if not properly diagnosed or treated. An enteric fever must be distinguished from other gastrointestinal illnesses and from other infections that have few localizing findings.
Examples include tuberculosis, infective endocarditis, brucellosis, lymphoma, and Q fever. Often there is a history of recent travel to endemic areas, and viral hepatitis, malaria, or amebiasis may be in the differential as well.
* Complications :
If a patient goes into Complication he may have bloody stools that might need surgery. In some patients starting medication can relieve the symptoms quickly and so many patients leave the treatment in between.
But it is necessary that the patient should complete the course of treatment even if they become symptoms free in the start. Complications occur in about 30% of untreated cases and account for 75% of deaths.
* Prevention :
One should always take soft diet so it can be absorbed easily. It is a catabolic disease which weakens the body, so easily digestible food should be taken which contains mostly protein. Precautionary measures should be taken to prevent typhoid, the most important of which are,
- Drink clean and boil water
- Fruits and vegetables should be properly washed
- Clean & wash hands before eating and & after using the toilet .
- Avoid foods from outside.
Immunization is not always effective but should be considered for household contacts of a typhoid carrier, for travellers to endemic areas, and during epidemic outbreaks. A multiple-dose oral vaccine and a single dose parenteral vaccine are available.
* Treatment :
If anyone suspected of fever of unknown origin should definitely go to a doctor. If diagnosed typhoid, should not take any medication by himself. Must go to a doctor & take proper antibiotics.
Several antibiotics, including ampicillin, azithromycin, chloramphenicol, third-generation cephalosporins are useful for the treatment of enteric fever caused by drug-susceptible strains. These drugs can be given orally or intravenously depending on the patient's condition.
Ciprofloxacin 750 mg orally twice daily or levofloxacin 500 mg orally once daily, 5-7 days for uncomplicated enteric fever TO-14 days for severe infection-1s the agent of choice for treatment of salmonella infections.
Ceftriaxone, 2 intravenously for 7 days, is also effective. Using azithromycin 500 mg orally for 7 days in uncomplicated cases may be effective
Treatment of Carriers :
Treatment of carriage with ampicillin or chloramphenicol may be successful, ciprofloxacin, 750 mg orally twice a day for 4 weeks, has proved to be highly effective. the chronic career of typhoid, himself doesn't show signs and symptoms but he is responsible for the transfer of typhoid organisms to others even if he shakes hands with a healthy person.
Two types of typhoid vaccines are available.
1. The oral vaccine should be given to children of 6 yrs. It is 4 pills dose given every other day & should be completed 1 week before travel.
2. The injectable vaccine can be given to children of 2 yrs old & should be given at least two weeks before travelling.
Remember that only a doctor can diagnose typhoid fever through tests. Never treat a fever with home remedies, in case of fever you must consult a doctor. You will all agree with me that, personal hygiene is the most important thing and considered as the main guard against many diseases.
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