Typhoid fever

From ArticleWorld

Typhoid fever is caused by the infection with a bacterium called Salmonella typhi. It is very common, as it is transmitted by water or food contaminated with feces from infected people.

Typhoid fever was also famous in the media. It has claimed the lives of Franz Schubert, Wilbur Wright and Mark Hanna, but it also raised questions over the ethics of quarantine in the Mary Mallon case. Mary Mallon was a carrier of typhoid fever, but she never displayed the symptoms. Public authorities asked her to stop working as a cook, but, after complying only to return under a false name, she was arrested and quarantined for 23 years. Ironically, she didn't die by typhoid fever.

Symptoms and diagnosis

The initial infection is followed by a number of symptoms including a high fever, slowly rising from 39 to 40 degrees Celsius (103 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit), chills, bradycardia (low pulse rate) and weakness. They are associated with diarrhea or constipation, myalgia, a loss of appetite and severe stomach pains. Some cases may also involve a rash of spots. In extreme cases, confusion and hallucinations may occur, as well as physical symptoms like intestinal perforation.

The diagnosis is usually made by blood or stool cultures using the Widal test, but the urine diazo test is preferred in some other countries. Should a suspected case occur during an epidemic, chloramphenicol is administered while awaiting the full results, after excluding malaria and dysentery.

Treatment

Typhoid fever can be dangerous, and if untreated, it has a mortality rate between 10 and 30%. A course of antibiotics is administered, including ampicillin and chloramphenicol among others. A vaccine is available and it is highly recommended for anyone traveling to regions where typhoid fever is common.