316, Sakar 7 Near Nehrubridge Ashram road Ahmedabad
316, Sakar 7 Near Nehrubridge Ashram road Ahmedabad
Typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever are similar diseases caused by bacteria. Salmonella Typhi bacteria cause typhoid fever. Salmonella Paratyphi bacteria cause paratyphoid fever. People infected with these bacteria can spread them to others. This typically happens when an infected person uses the bathroom and does not wash their hands. The bacteria can stay on their hands and contaminate everything that the person touches, including food and drinks.
This isn't the same bacteria that cause salmonella food poisoning, but they are related.
The Salmonella typhi bacteria will be in the poo of an infected person after they have been to the toilet. If they don't wash their hands properly afterwards, they can contaminate any food they touch. Anyone else who eats this food may also become infected. Less commonly, the Salmonella typhi bacteria can be passed out in an infected person's pee. Again, if an infected person handles food without washing their hands properly after peeing, they can spread the infection to someone else who eats the contaminated food. In parts of the world with poor 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. Other ways typhoid fever can be contracted include: 1. Using a toilet contaminated with bacteria and touching your mouth before washing your hands 2. Eating seafood from a water source contaminated by infected poo or pee 3. Eating raw vegetables that have been fertilised with human waste 4. Contaminated milk products 5. Having oral or anal sex with a person who's a carrier of Salmonella typhi bacteria
In these circumstances, about 1 in 10 people experience complications, which usually develop during the 3rd week of infection. The 2 most common complications in untreated typhoid fever are: 1. Internal bleeding in the digestive system 2. Splitting (perforation) of a section of the digestive system or bowel, which spreads the infection to nearby tissue
Most internal bleeding that happens in typhoid fever isn't life threatening, but it can make you feel very unwell. Symptoms include: 1. Feeling tired all the time 2. Breathlessness 3. Pale skin 4. An irregular heartbeat 5. Vomiting blood 6. Poo that's very dark or tar-like A blood transfusion may be required to replace lost blood, and surgery can be used to repair the site of the bleeding.
Perforation is potentially a very serious complication. This is because bacteria that live in your digestive system can move into your stomach and infect the lining of your abdomen (the peritoneum). This is known as peritonitis. Peritonitis is a medical emergency as the tissue of the peritoneum is usually sterile (germ-free). Unlike other parts of the body, such as the skin, the peritoneum doesn't have an inbuilt defence mechanism for fighting infection. In peritonitis, the infection can rapidly spread into the blood (sepsis) before spreading to other organs. This carries the risk of multiple organ failure. If it isn't treated properly, it may result in death. The most common symptom of peritonitis is sudden abdominal pain that gets progressively worse. If you have peritonitis, you'll be admitted to hospital, where you'll be treated with antibiotic injections. Surgery will then be used to seal the hole in your intestinal wall.