TYPHOID FEVER

By: Jenae Barsh

DESCRIPTIONTyphoid Fever is life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi.

It is commonly found in the developing countries where it affects about 21.5 million people each year.

TRANSMISSION

You can get Typhoid Fever if you eat food or drinks handled by a person who is shedding Salmonella Typhi or in sewage contaminated with it, such as drinking water.

Once Salmonella Typhi bacteria have been eaten or ingested by drinking, they multiply and spread into the bloodstream.

Sustained fever as high as 103-104 degrees

Stomach pains

Rash of flat, rose colored spots

SYMPTOMS

Feel weak

Headache

Loss of appetite

RISK FACTORS

Worldwide, children are at greater risk of getting the disease, although they generally have milder symptoms than adults do.

Risk are higher if you live in a country where Typhoid is rare and travel to places where it is endemic.

Weakened immune system

TESTING & TREATMENT

The only way to know for sure is to have samples of stool or blood tested for the presence of Salmonella Typhi.

Three commonly prescribed antibiotics are ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazote, and ciprofloxacin.

Given the antibiotics patients usually begin to feel better within 2 to 3 days and deaths rarely occur. But in those w/o treatment it can continue for many weeks or months.

PREVENTION

Vaccinations – there are two types of vaccinations

1.) A shot that contains killed Salmonella Typhi

2.) A vaccine taken by mouth containing live but weakened strain of the bacteria

CURRENT STATISTICS

The number of cases are higher in Africa,

Asia(especially Southeast Asia and the Indian

subcontinent), and Central and South America.

AFFECTS

Developed nations- not many effects only

contracted from traveling to countries with the disease

Developing nations- more common because of poor

water treatment and open sewage not a lot of

sanitations precautions.

SOURCES

www.cdc.gov

www.nih.gov

www.mayoclinic.com

www.virtualmedicalcentre.com