Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria. Typhoid fever is rare in industrialized countries. However, it remains a serious health threat in the developing world, especially for children.
Typhoid fever spreads through contaminated food and water or through close contact with someone who's infected. Signs and symptoms usually include high fever, headache, abdominal pain, and either constipation or diarrhea.
Most people with typhoid fever feel better within a few days of starting antibiotic treatment, although a small number of them may die of complications. Vaccines against typhoid fever are available, but they're only partially effective. Vaccines usually are reserved for those who may be exposed to the disease or are traveling to areas where typhoid fever is common.
Causses--Typhoid fever is caused by virulent bacteria called Salmonella typhi (S. typhi). Although they're related, S. typhi and the bacteria responsible for salmonellosis, another serious intestinal infection, aren't the same.
Fecal-oral transmission route
The bacteria that cause typhoid fever spread through contaminated food or water and occasionally through direct contact with someone who is infected. In developing nations, where typhoid fever is endemic, most cases result from contaminated drinking water and poor sanitation. The majority of people in industrialized countries pick up typhoid bacteria while traveling and spread it to others through the fecal-oral route.
This means that S. typhi is passed in the feces and sometimes in the urine of infected people. You can contract the infection if you eat food handled by someone with typhoid fever who hasn't washed carefully after using the toilet. You can also become infected by drinking water contaminated with the bacteria.
Typhoid carriers
Even after treatment with antibiotics, a small number of people who recover from typhoid fever continue to harbor the bacteria in their intestinal tracts or gallbladders, often for years. These people, called chronic carriers, shed the bacteria in their feces and are capable of infecting others, although they no longer have signs or symptoms of the disease themselves
Symptoms--Signs and symptoms are likely to develop gradually — often appearing one to three weeks after exposure to the disease.
Early illness
Once signs and symptoms do appear, you're likely to experience:--Fever that starts low and increases daily, possibly reaching as high as 104.9 F (40.5 C).Headache.Weakness and fatigue. Muscle aches. Sweating. Dry cough. Loss of appetite and weight loss. Abdominal pain. Diarrhea or constipation. Rash. Extremely swollen abdomen.
Later illness
If you don't receive treatment, you may:--Become delirious. Lie motionless and exhausted with your eyes half-closed in what's known as the typhoid state
In addition, life-threatening complications often develop at this time.
In some people, signs and symptoms may return up to two weeks after the fever has subsided.
HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES
ARSENICUM ALB. 30- It is an excellent remedy for Typhoid fever. The main symptoms are restlessness, thirst for small quantities of water at short intervals, prostration etc. Appearance of dead scales of skin on the lips is a good indication for Arsenicum alb. Extremely red tongue combined with diarrhea, sour mouth are other symptoms. The patient is chilly
BAPTISIA 30-Baptisia is one of the top remedies for Typhoid fever. Here the Typhoid is accompanied with diarrhea. The stools are very offensive with rumbling in abdomen. There is stupor from which it is difficult to arouse the patient. The patient feels sudden prostration , indifference and apathy. If Baptisia is given in early stages it cut short the period.
MURIATIC ACID 30-Muriactic acid is another top remedy for Typhoid fever provided there is bleeding from the intestines or the patient becomes unconscious . There is extreme prostration. Foetid breath and putrid smell are present. The evacuations are constant with unconsciousness. The jaw hangs down, tongue becomes dry, rattles in the mouth, intermittent pulse are other serious symptoms
CUPRUM METALLICUM 200- Cuprum metallicum is another excellent remedy when there is unconsciousness with Typhoid fever. Loss of pulse , suppression of urine , tympanic abdomen, restlessness are other symptoms. The patient rolling about on the floor for days together. There is great prostration and nervous excitability.
GELSEMIUM 30-Gelsemium is used in early stages of Typhoid fever. There is no thirst, but severe headache is present. The patient is otherwise quiet, indifferent and emotionless. The patient also experiences drooping of eyelids, trembling, chilliness, drowsiness, dread of downward motion and prostration.
LACHESIS 200-Lachesis has similar symptoms of Baptisia , except that Lachesis patient is worse after sleep and has a tendency to haemorrhage of dark blood. He is sensitive to touch especially at the neck and waist. There is loss of sleep. Signs of paralysis of brain such as , dropping of lower jaw, offensive discharges, low muttering delirium, dry trembling tongue are present.
ARUM TRIP. 30-Arum trip. Is an important remedy which should be thought of when the patient is pricking the nose, lips or finger nails until they bleed. There is delirium or diarrhea or both.
PHOSPHORUS 30-Phosphorus is used only when Typhoid fever is complicated with pneumonia .
RHUS TOX 30- Rhus tox is also considered in Typhoid fever in early stages. Triangular red tip of the tongue, diarrhea, restlessness are the main symptoms
ARNICA MON. 30- Arnica is effective in the later stages of Typhoid fever. In Arnica patient the bed feels hard and the part rested upon feel sore and bruised. The head of Arnica patient is hot and body cold. There is stupor , the patient answers completely before falling in to sleep . Sometimes there is symptoms of unnoticed urine and stool.