What is typhoid fever?
Typhoid fever is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. Typically, this infection occurs by ingesting contaminated water or food.
What are the symptoms of the disease?
Initially and gradually, the following emerge:
- fever
- weakness
- headache
- muscle and joint pain
- cough
- diarrhea or constipation
- lack of appetite
- abdominal pain
Pink spots may also appear on the trunk.
How is typhoid fever transmitted?
Typhoid fever is spread by ingesting water or food contaminated with human feces or urine containing Salmonella Typhi.
This disease can be transmitted by direct contact (hand-to-mouth) with feces, urine by sharing contaminated objects, or by ingestion of water or food that has been washed or prepared with contaminated water.
What is the incubation period?
The incubation period is usually 5 to 21 days.
How is the disease diagnosed?
The diagnosis of typhoid fever is made through:
- complete clinical history of the patient, with symptom research
- Travel history to an endemic site
- carrying out complementary tests such as stool, urine or blood tests
What are the risk factors for typhoid transmission?
The main risk factors that potentiate the transmission of typhoid fever are:
- Visiting places/countries with poor sanitary conditions
- the preparation and consumption of food improperly (undercooked or poorly washed)
- Poor hygiene habits
How can it be prevented?
Basic sanitation, proper food preparation and personal hygiene are the main prevention measures. In addition:
- Drink drinking or bottled water
- Consume fresh food that looks good
- Cook food thoroughly, namely meat and eggs
- Wash and disinfect food thoroughly before consuming it
- Wash your hands regularly:
- before, during, and after food preparation
- When handling dirty objects
- after touching animals
- After going to the toilet
- After diaper changes
- Before breastfeeding
- Get vaccinated if you are travelling to an endemic area where typhoid fever is present
Is there a vaccine available against typhoid fever?
yes. The typhoid vaccine is available in the UK and can be given to people over 2 years of age, with a dose that confers immunity for up to 3 years.
Who is the vaccine recommended for?
The Portuguese Society of Travellers' Medicine recommends the vaccine to all those who travel to places whose stay profile may confer a risk of contracting the disease. In addition, it also recommends vaccination for travelers over the age of 2 years, who travel to endemic areas and whose stay lasts for more than 1 month.
What are the endemic geographical areas for typhoid fever?
Areas considered endemic for typhoid fever include:
- Africa
- East Asia and South Asia (especially Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh)
- Central & South America
- Caribbean
- Middle East
If you are traveling, check here the conditions of each country.
What is the treatment for typhoid fever?
In the event of a case of typhoid fever, treatment should be started as soon as possible, as one of the complications of the evolution of the disease without treatment is death.
Thus, the treatment for this disease includes taking medications. During treatment, you should maintain proper hand washing and avoid preparing or serving food to others.
Children with typhoid fever cannot attend school, as it is a compulsory school eviction disease (they must not attend school).
What are the complications of typhoid fever?
In the absence of treatment, the temperature rises and remains high (39.4 to 40º C). In the second week of illness, discrete pink lesions (pink spots) may appear on the chest and abdomen and abdominal pain.
In the third week there may be enlargement of the liver and spleen, bleeding and perforation of the intestine, generalised infection, which can lead to death or resolution of symptoms after a few months.
Source: Directorate-General for Health (DGS)