Salmonella typhi is a bacterium that leads to typhoid fever. The fever is still a common occurrence in many underdeveloped and developing countries, though the developed countries don’t record too many instances of the disease. Contaminated water and food or close contact with infected individuals can lead to typhoid. On that note, here’s a brief overview of the symptoms and treatments of typhoid fever. Do you want to know more about the symptoms and treatments of typhoid fever? Here is a brief account to guide you.
The most common typhoid fever symptoms
The symptoms of typhoid fever develop slowly. It often shows up one or three weeks after the bacterial exposure. Accordingly, here are the early and later signs of the disease:
Early signs of illness
- Headache
- Low fever to start with, gradually increasing to reach even 40.5 C (104.9 F)
- Fatigue and weakness
- Sweating
- Muscle aches
- Dry cough
- Stomach pain
- Weight loss and a loss of appetite
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Swollen stomach
- Rash
Later signs of the illness
- Severe delirium
- A semi-conscious state of exhaustion, known as the typhoid state
Life-threatening complexities tend to develop during this time. In several cases, typhoid fever symptoms might recur for at least two weeks after the patient’s fever subsides.
Treatment for typhoid fever
The most effective treatment for this disease is antibiotic therapy. Some of the common antibiotics that are prescribed are:
Ciprofloxacin: It is a suitable drug for adults, but not for pregnant women. Doctors might also recommend another drug known as ofloxacin. However, the strains of Salmonella typhi found in Southeast Asia are no longer responsive to these types of antibiotics.
Azithromycin: It might be used when a person is not able to take Ciprofloxacin or the bacteria does not respond to Ciprofloxacin.
Ceftriaxone: It is an injectable antibiotic that acts as the alternative in more serious or complicated infections and for the ones who are not suitable to take ciprofloxacin, like children.
It is worth mentioning that these drugs have side effects. Thus, long-term usage might lead to the growth of bacteria that is antibiotic-resistant.
Chloramphenicol was the drug of choice in the past, but doctors do not use it anymore because of the serious side effects. Patients had started showing bacterial resistance and health deterioration due to the intake of this drug. It is a worrying fact that the bacteria is increasingly getting antibiotic-resistant. Along with ciprofloxacin, Salmonella typhi is not responsive to ampicillin and trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole.
Other forms of treatment
Other forms of treatment are:
Surgery: You might require surgery for repairing the hole in case the intestines are torn.
Drinking fluids: It helps in the prevention of the dehydration that comes from having diarrhea and fever for a long time. When you are seriously dehydrated, you might need to take fluids intravenously.
The endnote
It is important to treat the disease on time to make sure that it does not lead to other complications. Make sure to see a doctor if you or someone in your family is suffering from high fever with the associated symptoms.
