How many days typhoid fever

There are certain factors which can elevate the risk of typhoid fever. These include: Traveling to areas where typhoid fever is common endemic areas. Being in a profession where exposure to the bacteria is likely, for example, those working in hospitals and laboratories. Coming in close contact with a person suffering from typhoid. What are the signs and symptoms of typhoid fever? Some signs and symptoms which indicate you might be infected with the condition include: Irregular fever that can go as high as What are the different stages of typhoid fever?

There are four distinctive stages of enteric fever and each lasts up to a week. The first stage In this stage, the patient experiences some of the preliminary symptoms of typhoid such as dry cough, indolence or headache.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Search for: Most Viewed 1. Featured News. Categories Disease Health Test Health Wellness Lifestyle Vaccination is recommended for anyone who is planning to travel to parts of the world where the typhoid is widespread, particularly if you are planning to live or work closely with local people.

For example, you should only drink bottled or boiled water and avoid foods that could potentially be contaminated. Read more about the typhoid fever vaccination. The symptoms of typhoid fever usually develop one or two weeks after a person becomes infected with the Salmonella typhi bacteria. If typhoid fever is not treated, the condition usually gets worse over a few weeks and there's a significant risk that life-threatening complications of typhoid fever may develop.

Without treatment, it can take weeks or even months to fully recover and symptoms can return. You should see your doctor as soon as possible if you have symptoms of typhoid fever even if you have been vaccinated against it , particularly if you have recently returned from travelling abroad.

It is unlikely that your symptoms are caused by typhoid fever, but it's best to get them checked out in case you need treatment. Before you travel, it is a good idea to make a list of relevant contact details and telephone numbers in case of an emergency.

Bacteria are tiny, single-celled organisms that live in the body. Some can cause illness and disease and others are good for you. Constipation is when you pass stools less often than usual, or when you have difficulty going to the toilet because your stools are hard and small.

This is not the same type of bacteria that can cause salmonella food poisoning , but the two are related. When someone with the infection has a bowel movement, they may pass stools faeces that contain the Salmonella typhi bacteria.

If they do not wash their hands properly after going to the toilet, they can contaminate any food they touch. If this is eaten by another person, they may also become infected. Less commonly, the Salmonella typhi bacteria can be passed out in an infected person's urine. Again, if an infected person handles food without washing their hands properly after urinating, they can spread the infection to someone else who eats the contaminated food.

In parts of the world with poor levels of sanitation, infected human waste can contaminate the water supply. People who drink contaminated water or eat food washed in contaminated water can develop typhoid fever. Up to 1 in every 20 people who survive typhoid fever without being treated will become carriers of the infection. This means the Salmonella typhi bacteria continue to live in the carrier's body and can be spread as normal in faeces or urine, but the carrier doesn't have any noticeable symptoms of typhoid fever.

After a person eats or drinks food or liquid contaminated with the Salmonella typhi bacteria, the bacteria will move down into their digestive system. The bacteria will then quickly multiply, triggering the initial symptoms such as a high temperature, stomach pain and constipation or diarrhoea. If the person is not treated, the bacteria can get into the bloodstream, which means they can spread to other areas of the body.

The spread of bacteria out of the digestive system can cause the symptoms of typhoid fever to get worse during the weeks following infection. If the organs and tissue become damaged as a result of the infection, it can cause serious complications, such as internal bleeding or a section of the bowel splitting open. Stool also known as faeces is the solid waste matter that is passed from the body as a bowel movement. You should see your doctor if you think you have typhoid fever, particularly if you have recently returned from travelling abroad.

Areas of the world where the infection is most common include Africa, the Indian subcontinent, south east Asia, and South America. A diagnosis of typhoid fever can usually be confirmed by analysing samples of blood, stools or urine and examining them under a microscope for the Salmonella typhi bacteria that cause the condition. Testing a sample of bone marrow is a more accurate way to diagnose typhoid fever.

However, getting the sample is both time consuming and painful, so it is usually only used if other tests are inconclusive. If testing confirms that you have typhoid fever, it may be recommended that other members of your household are also tested in case you have passed the infection to them.

In most cases you can be treated at home, but hospital admission may be required if the condition is severe. If typhoid fever is diagnosed in its early stages, a course of antibiotic tablets may be prescribed for you.

Most people need to take these for days. Some strains of the Salmonella typhi bacteria that cause typhoid fever have developed a resistance to one or more types of antibiotics. This is becoming a particularly increasing problem in typhoid infections originating in South East Asia. Therefore, any blood, stool or urine samples taken during your diagnosis will usually be tested in a laboratory to determine which strain you are infected with so you can be treated with an appropriate antibiotic.

Your symptoms should begin to improve within days of taking antibiotics, but it is very important that you finish the course to help ensure the bacteria are completely removed from your body.

Make sure that you rest, drink plenty of fluids and eat regular meals. You may be able to tolerate eating smaller, more frequent meals rather than three larger meals a day. You should also take care to practise good personal hygiene, such as regularly washing your hands with soap and warm water, to reduce the risk of spreading the infection to others. Contact your doctor as soon as possible if your symptoms get worse or if you develop new symptoms while being treated at home. In a small number of cases the symptoms or infection may recur.

This is known as a relapse see below. Most people being treated for typhoid fever can return to work or school as soon as they start to feel better. Typhoid fever is rare in developed countries. It is still a serious health threat in the developing world, especially for children. Contaminated food and water or close contact with an infected person cause typhoid fever.

Signs and symptoms usually include:. Most people who have typhoid fever feel better a few days after they start antibiotic treatment, but a small number of them may die of complications.

Vaccines against typhoid fever are only partially effective. Vaccines usually are reserved for those who may be exposed to the disease or who are traveling to areas where typhoid fever is common. Signs and symptoms are likely to develop gradually — often appearing one to three weeks after exposure to the disease. See a doctor immediately if you think you might have typhoid fever.

If you live in the United States and become sick while traveling in a foreign country, call the U. Consulate for a list of doctors. If you have signs and symptoms after you return home, consider seeing a doctor who focuses on international travel medicine or infectious diseases.

A doctor who is familiar with these areas may be able to recognize and treat your illness more quickly. Typhoid fever is caused by dangerous bacteria called Salmonella typhi. Salmonella typhi is related to the bacteria that cause salmonellosis, another serious intestinal infection, but they aren't the same. Most people in developed countries pick up typhoid bacteria while they're traveling. After this, it makes its way through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream. From the bloodstream, it spreads into other tissues and organs.

The immune system of the host can do little to fight back because S. Typhoid is diagnosed by detecting the presence of S. The two major symptoms of typhoid are fever and rash. Typhoid fever is particularly high, gradually increasing over several days up to degrees Fahrenheit, or 39 to 40 degrees Celsius.

The rash, which does not affect every patient, consists of rose-colored spots, particularly on the neck and abdomen. Rarely, symptoms might include confusion, diarrhea , and vomiting, but this is not normally severe.

In serious, untreated cases, the bowel can become perforated. This can lead to peritonitis, an infection of the tissue that lines the inside of the abdomen, which has been reported as fatal in between 5 and 62 percent of cases. Another infection, paratyphoid, is caused by Salmonella enterica. It has similar symptoms to typhoid, but it is less likely to be fatal.

The only effective treatment for typhoid is antibiotics. The most commonly used are ciprofloxacin for non-pregnant adults and ceftriaxone. As with a number of other bacterial diseases, there is currently concern about the growing resistance of antibiotics to S. This is impacting the choice of drugs available to treat typhoid. In recent years, for example, typhoid has become resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ampicillin.

Ciprofloxacin, one of the key medications for typhoid, is also experiencing similar difficulties. Some studies have found Salmonella typhimurium resistance rates to be around 35 percent.