Typhoid Fever Treatment in Delhi, India

Symptoms of typhoid are likely to evolve gradually, often emerging one to three weeks after coming in contact with the disease. These typhoid symptoms are divided into two phases:

Early Typhoid Fever Symptoms

• Pyrexia starts low and increases daily, possibly reaching as high as 104.9 F
• Headache
• Weakness and fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Sweating
• Dry cough
• Significant loss of weight and appetite
• Stomach ache
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Rashes over the skin

Later Stage of Typhoid Symptoms

• Delirious
• Lie motionless and exhausted with half-closed eyes 

Life-threatening complications often take place during this period. In certain individuals, signs and symptoms may return up to two weeks after the fever has subsided.

Faecal-Oral Route of Transmission

Most people develop typhoid bacteria while they are travelling. Once they get infected, they can pass on this to others via the faecal-oral route. This means that Salmonella typhi spread in the faeces and at times in the urine of infected people. 

Most people become infected by the intake of contaminated water or other food products. The bacteria may also pass through contaminated food and through direct contact with someone who is infected with typhoid.

Typhoid Carriers

Even after the completion of antibiotic treatment, a small number of people who recover from typhoid fever continue to nurture the bacteria. These are called chronic carriers and don't possess any signs or symptoms of the disease. However, they still drop the bacteria in their faeces and are capable of infecting others.

Medical and Travel history

The doctor is likely to access typhoid fever based on the typhoid symptoms and medical as well as travel history. The diagnosis is verified by the identification of the presence of Salmonella typhi in a culture of blood.

Body Fluid or Tissue Culture

For the culture to be tested, a small sample of blood, stool, urine or bone marrow is taken for examination. The culture is accessed thoroughly under a microscope for the existence of typhoid bacteria. A bone marrow culture is often termed the most sensitive test for Salmonella typhi.
Apart from carrying out a culture test which is the most usual diagnostic test, several other testing procedures may be adopted to confirm the presence of a possible typhoid fever infection, like a test done to check the antibodies to typhoid bacteria in the blood.

The doctor will perform a routine physical check-up and ask about the symptoms, following which he will recommend certain tests. These are:

1. A complete blood count (CBC) will indicate a significantly higher number of WBC's.
2. A blood culture taken during the first week of the fever can depict S. Typhi bacteria

Other tests that can assist in diagnosing this condition comprises of:

1. ELISA test to check for antibodies to the S. Typhi bacteria
2. Fluorescent antibody study to inspect for substances that are specific to S typhi bacteria
3. Platelet count (platelet count may below)
4. Stool culture

Antibiotic therapy is the only effective treatment of choice for typhoid fever symptoms. Other treatments include:

1. Drinking fluids: This helps in the prevention of dehydration resulting from a prolonged fever and diarrhoea. If the patient is severely dehydrated, fluids need to be administered through a vein intravenously.
2. Surgery: If there is a tear in the intestines, the patient will require surgery to repair the issue.
3. Supportive therapies: like fluid or electrolyte replacement, depending on the severity of the infection.

Typhoid fever is a significant threat worldwide, and children are at the greatest risk of contracting the disease, although they generally possess a milder form of symptoms than adults do. Risk factors generally include:

1. People working as clinical microbiologists handling Salmonella typhi bacteria
2. People in close contact with someone who is already infected or have recently been diagnosed with typhoid fever
3. Drinking contaminated water by sewage that contains Salmonella typhi

Possible complications include:

1. Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis)
2. Intestinal bleeding or holes
3. Inflammation of the heart's inner lining and associated valves (Endocarditis)
4. Mycotic aneurysm
5. Pneumonia
6. Pancreatitis
7. Kidney or urinary bladder infections
8. Infection as well as inflammation of the membranes and fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord called meningitis
9. Psychiatric problems include delirium, hallucinations and paranoid psychosis

Consuming safe drinking water, improved sanitation, and adequate medical care can help prevent and control typhoid fever. Unfortunately, in many developing nations, these may be difficult to achieve.

Therefore vaccines are considered to be the best option to control typhoid fever symptoms. Apart from vaccination, certain guidelines need to be followed while travelling to high-risk areas. These include:

1. Washing of hands regularly
2. Avoid drinking contaminated water
3. Avoid consuming raw fruits and vegetables
4. Avoid having unhygienic food

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