Overview of Typhoid
Typhoid is a bacterial disease that spreads through contaminated food and water. It is quite an infectious disease and spreads through the faecal-oral route. It can also spread by directly coming in contact with an infected person. The causative agent for typhoid is the bacterium Salmonella typhi, and the infection can become fatal in about 20 percent of individuals if left untreated.
It kills their hosts by creating perforations in the small intestines, causing the bacteria present in the gut to pour into the abdominal cavity. A person can be tested for typhoid by analyzing blood and stool samples. Humans are the only known carries of this disease.
Also Read:Diseases Caused By Bacteria
Symptoms of Typhoid
The first symptoms of typhoid typically begin to show up after an 8-14 day incubation period. However, the infective dose and the person’s inherent immunity can cause the incubation period to vary. The following are symptoms characteristic of typhoid:
- Chills.
- Ulcers.
- Sweating
- Weakness.
- High fever.
- Skin Rashes.
- Dehydration.
- Constipation.
- Weight loss.
- Muscle aches.
- Stomach pain.
- Loss of appetite.
- Severe headache.
- Delirium/hallucinations.
- Extremely swollen abdomen
In conclusion, typhoid is one of the many bacterial infectious diseases capable of wreaking. It can turn fatal if left untreated, but due to advancements in the field of antibiotics and general medicine, it is no longer life-threatening.
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Stay tuned with BYJU’S to learn more about the typhoid diseases and their causes along with their available treatments and their precautions.
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