Typhoid fever: causes, symptoms, diagnosis tests and treatment

* Typhoid fever is the enteric infection caused by the bacteria  Salmonella typhi.
*  Typhoid fever is also called as bilious fever or yellow fever.
*  Typhoid fever is transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with fecal matter of typhoid infected person.

* After entering the body the bacteria then perforate the intestinal wall and bacteria are phagocytosed by macrophages. Later the infection  spreads to different parts of the body through blood and lymphatic system.

Causes of typhoid fever:-
* Typhoid is mainly caused by the gram negative bacteria salmonella typhi. Typhoid is also caused by Salmonella paratyphi.

* Contaminated food and bacteria act as a source of typhoid infection.

* Infected human beings with typhoid also act as carrier of typhoid bacteria.
* people who travel are at risk of getting typhoid due to ingestion of contaminated food or water.

* Infection is the most common cause  of fever in human beings.
* Viral (e.g., influenza, HIV, hepatitis, herpes simplex encephalitis, mononucleosis, adenovirus)
* Bacterial (e.g., pneumonia, endocarditis, tuberculosis, meningitis, pyelonephritis, appendicitis, cholecystitis, cellulitis)
* Lyme disease
* Malaria
* Syphilis
* Tularemia

Symptoms of Typhoid fever:-

* Fever, continuous more than a week,
* Headache associated with typhoid fever,
* poor appetite,
* generalized aches and pains,
* fever,
* lethargy, and
* Diarrhea

Diagnosis of Typhoid fever:-

* History collection reveals ingestion of contaminated water and food,
* Blood culture for the presence of bacteria,
* WIDAL test is the common test performed to diagnose typhoid fever.

Treatment of typhoid fever:-

Treatment is given with broad spectrum antibiotics.