What is Typhoid
Typhoid is a severe, contagious and life-threatening disease. It is caused by contaminated food, drinks and water by bacteria called S.typhi, which may result in fever with severe complications.

How is it Transmitted
Typhoid fever is transmitted in several ways. The bacteria are disseminated by typhoid patients and carriers in large quantities through stools and vomit. The bacteria then find their way to food, drinks and water through house-flies and other insects. These contaminated food or drinks, when consumed, causes typhoid fever.
Raw vegetables grown on sewage-irrigated fields also act as a source of infection.
The bacteria can survive in soil and water for several months. They grow rapidly in milk and milk-products.
Typhoid carriers can harbor the bacteria for many years, posing a potential danger to healthy individuals. Unhygienic conditions in our surroundings are mainly responsible for the widespread infection.

Symptoms
In the initial stages: high fever, persistent headache, abdominal discomfort, constipation, diarrhoea, nasal bleeding, weakness, dizziness and nausea.
In later stages: Constant high fever, diarrhoea and constipation, variable degrees of unconsciousness.
Typhoid often displays several misleading symptoms, thus making it difficult to diagnose.

Signs and Tests
An elevated white blood cell count in blood
A blood culture during first week of the fever can show S. typhi bacteria
A stool culture
An ELISA test on urine may show Vi antigen specific for the bacteria
A platelet count (decreased platelets )
A fluorescent antibody study (demonstrates Vi antigen, which is specific for typhoid)

Carriers
A carrier is a person infected with S.typhi, and may infect others, as the bacteria remain in the body for months. 3-5% of typhoid patients remain chronic carriers despite treatment.

Complications
Most common complications are intestinal bleeding and perforation.

Treatment
Appropriate antibiotics have to be used. There is a growing incidence of resistant strains of the bacteria. Hence prevention is the best remedy.

Prevention
Clean hygienic habits, drinking only purified water, abstaining from eating raw leafy vegetables and food left in the open. Vaccination is also necessary to prevent the disease: a single injection given 2 years onwards gives protection against typhoid for 3 years.

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