Typhoid Fever

Typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. Typhoid fever is still common in the developing countries, where it affects about 12.5 million persons each year.

How is typhoid fever spread?

Salmonella typhi lives only in humans. Persons with typhoid fever carry the bacteria in the bloodstream and intestinal tract. In addition, a small number of persons, called carriers, recover from typhoid fever but continue to carry the bacteria. Both ill persons and carriers shed Salmonella typhi in their stools.

What are the signs and symptoms of typhoid fever?

Persons with typhoid fever usually have a sustained fever as high as 39C to 40C. They may also feel weak, or have stomach pains, headache, or loss of appetite. In some cases, patients have a rash of flat, rose-colored spots.

How to avoid having typhoid fever?

Two basic actions can protect you from typhoid fever:

Avoid risky foods and drinks o When you drink water, buy it bottled or bring it to a rolling boil for 1 minute before you drink it. Bottled carbonated water is safer than uncarbonated water. o Ask for drinks without ice unless the ice is made from bottled or boiled water. Avoid popsicles and flavored ice that may have been made with contaminated water. o Eat foods that have been thoroughly cooked and that are still hot and steaming. o Avoid raw vegetables and fruits that cannot be peeled. Vegetables like lettuce are easily contaminated and are very hard to wash well. o When you eat raw fruit or vegetables that cannot be peeled, wash them yourself. o Avoid foods and beverages from street vendors. It is difficult for food to be kept clean on the street, and many travelers get sick from food bought from street vendors. Get vaccinated against typhoid fever.

Treatment of Typhoid fever:Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection; need to be treated with antibiotics. The antibiotics used to treat Typhoid are Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol, trimethoprim- sulfamethaxazole, Ciprofloxacin etc...

Incubation: The duration of typhoid infection continues up to 3 weeks, if not treated. If not
treated Typhoid becomes Fatal. Recourses: http://www.healthypinoy.com/health/articles/typhoid-fever.html

Summary
Typhoid fever is an illness cause by bacteria called Salmonella typhi. It is human illness which can be spread from person between the carrier and reservoir it says here that even person who recovered from typhoid fever is still infected by the bacteria and carries it until it is transmit to other person it is shed from their stool. Person who had this illness is experiencing a sustained fever with a temperature of39C to 40C. They may also feel weak, or have stomach pains, headache, or loss of appetite. In some case they experience having rashes of flat, rosecolored spots.

This is prevented in to two basic action first t is through diet. Avoid eating risky food and drinks when you drink water, buy it bottled or bring it to a rolling boil for 1 minute before you drink it. Eat foods that have been thoroughly cooked and that are still hot and steaming Avoid foods and beverages from street vendors. It is difficult for food to be kept clean on the street, and many travellers get sick from food bought from street vendors. Secondly is by having vaccinated against typhoid fever.

Treatment of typhoid fever through antibiotics. The antibiotics used to treat Typhoid are
Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol, trimethoprim- sulfamethaxazole, Ciprofloxacin etc... The duration of

typhoid infection continues up to 3 weeks, if not treated. If not treated Typhoid becomes Fatal.

Reaction/ Reflection
When reading this article Ive learned so much and understand more deeply what typhoid fever is and when it came from. Typhoid fever is very common condition were a person gets a higher temperature of above normal and it is cause by a bacteria called typhi but it can be also acquire by Eating foods that have been thoroughly cooked and that are still hot and steaming And Foods and beverages that are from street vendors which is not surely clean and safe. And to prevent it just avoid eating risky food and beverages instead eat healthy food which is better also perform proper hygiene in preparing and handling foods and ensure that they are properly cooked.

I also learned that not only temperature is affected but also our central nervous system thats why person with this kind of condition is experiencing headache, feels weak and even loss of appetite and others also such as stomach pain, rashes etc. To treat this typhoid fever we need to g administer antibiotics that kills bacteria that causes this illness and as a student nurse we have nursing responsibility thats why we need to provide care to patients by doing tepid sponge bath to lower the temperature and provide blanket to reduce chill if present and increase fluid intake to prevent dehydration. Doing Simple thing like this can help allot in the treating the patient condition, because if not treated this typhoid fever can become Fatal.