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Jan 28, 2023 · Antibiotic therapy is the only effective treatment for typhoid fever. Commonly prescribed antibiotics. The medicine you get to treat typhoid fever may depend on where you picked up the bacteria. Strains picked up in different places respond better or worse to certain antibiotics. These medicines may be used alone or together.
- Overview
- Symptoms and Causes
- Diagnosis and Tests
- Management and Treatment
- Prevention
- Outlook / Prognosis
- Living With
- Additional Common Questions
Typhoid fever is an illness you get from S. Typhi bacterium. It causes a high fever, flu-like symptoms and diarrhea. You can be contagious with typhoid even if you don’t feel sick. Typhoid can be life-threatening and should be treated promptly with antibiotics. If you live in or travel to an area where typhoid is common, you should get vaccinated.
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OverviewSymptoms and CausesDiagnosis and TestsManagement and TreatmentPreventionOutlook / PrognosisLiving WithAdditional Common Questions
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What are the symptoms of typhoid fever?
Typhoid fever gets its name from a high fever that can last for weeks if left untreated. It often gets progressively worse over a few days. Other symptoms of typhoid fever include: Headache. Chills. Loss of appetite. Stomach (abdominal) pain. “Rose spots” rash, or faint pink spots, usually on your chest or stomach. Cough. Muscle aches. Nausea, vomiting. Diarrhea or constipation. Advertisement
What causes typhoid fever?
Typhoid fever is caused by the bacterium S. Typhi. It lives in the gut (intestines) of infected people and can contaminate food and water.
How does typhoid fever spread?
Typhoid fever usually spreads through food or water contaminated with S. Typhi. This can happen if someone with typhoid touches something you eat or drink without washing their hands. It can also happen if waste water (water that has poop or pee in it) gets into water you drink or on food you eat. You can get typhoid from another person if they don’t wash their hands after going to the bathroom. When they touch surfaces and objects (like phones or doorknobs) they can leave bacteria behind that can transfer to the next person who touches it.
How is typhoid fever diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will use your symptoms, your travel history and lab tests to diagnose typhoid fever. They’ll give you a physical exam and listen to your heart and lungs. It’s very important to tell your provider if you’ve traveled recently or think you’ve been exposed to typhoid, otherwise they might not know to test for it. They’ll also use the information to decide what treatment to give.
What is the treatment for typhoid fever?
Typhoid is treated with antibiotics. Some newer types of the bacteria are able to survive antibiotic treatments, so you’ll be treated with different antibiotics depending on what type of typhoid you have and where you got sick. Paratyphoid fever is also treated with antibiotics. If you’re severely ill or have complications, you might need additional treatments. You’ll probably need to be admitted to the hospital for these treatments.
What medications are used to treat typhoid fever?
Your healthcare provider will treat typhoid fever with antibiotics, which may include: Ciprofloxacin, levoflaxin or ofloxacin. Ceftriaxone, cefotaxime or cefixime. Azithromycin. Carbapenems. If your case is severe, you may be treated with steroids, like dexamethasone.
How do I take care of myself with typhoid fever?
To take care of yourself, make sure you finish all of your medicines as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Ask your provider if it’s safe to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like ibuprofen (Advil® or Motrin®), naproxen sodium (Aleve®) or acetaminophen (Tylenol®) for pain or fever.
How can I reduce my risk of typhoid fever?
The best way to reduce your risk of typhoid fever is to get vaccinated if you live in or are traveling to an area where it’s common. Hand washing and safe food handling are also important for limiting the spread of typhoid.
What can I expect if I have typhoid fever?
Depending on how soon you’re treated for typhoid, you can feel better in as little as a few days after starting antibiotics. It’s important to finish all of your medications as directed, even if you start to feel better. You may still be contagious for a long time after your symptoms go away. Typhoid fever can be very serious. If you get treated as soon as possible, you’re less likely to have severe complications.
How long does typhoid fever last?
Typhoid fever lasts seven to 10 days when treated soon after symptoms start. If untreated or if treatment starts later, it can last three weeks or longer. If you have complications or a relapse, it can take longer than that to fully recover.
Is typhoid fever fatal?
Typhoid can be fatal if not treated quickly. But with modern medicines, most people survive and fully recover. Out of the millions of people diagnosed with typhoid fever each year, about 1% to 2% of cases are fatal.
How do I take care of myself?
Once you’ve recovered from typhoid fever, it’s important to check in with your healthcare provider for follow-up. You should be tested to make sure you’re no longer contagious. Be on the lookout for symptoms of relapse. If you have a relapse or are still contagious, you may need additional treatment with antibiotics.
When should I see my healthcare provider about typhoid fever?
If you live in or have recently visited an area where typhoid is common and have symptoms of typhoid, see your healthcare provider right away. You’re most likely to recover quickly if you’re treated early.
What questions should I ask my doctor?
How do I take my prescribed medication? What can I use to treat my symptoms at home? When should I follow up with you? How do I prevent spreading typhoid? What signs of relapse should I look for? How and when should I be tested again after recovering? Should people close to me get vaccinated for typhoid?
Who was Typhoid Mary?
Mary Mallon was a cook in New York in the late 1880’s. She was not sick with typhoid fever but instead was a carrier who could still spread the disease to others. As a danger to public health, the state of New York quarantined Mallon. They told her she couldn’t work as a cook anymore. Mallon didn’t understand how she could spread disease without being sick and continued to work as a cook after her first quarantine. She was responsible for over 100 people getting sick with typhoid fever and at least five deaths. She’s thought to be the source of an outbreak of 3,000 cases of typhoid in New York. She was quarantined a second time, for the rest of her life, and has since been known as “Typhoid Mary.”
How did countries get rid of typhoid fever?
It once caused deadly outbreaks, but typhoid fever is now uncommon in many places, including the U.S., Canada, Australia and Western Europe. This is because of modern sanitation practices. Clean water for cooking and drinking is widely available, even in rural areas. A note from Cleveland Clinic Typhoid fever may seem like a plague of the past, but people all over the world still get very sick from it. If you live in or are traveling to an area where typhoid is common, getting vaccinated is the best way to keep from getting ill and spreading disease. If you think you could have typhoid, see your healthcare provider right away. If you’ve recovered from typhoid, don’t be like Mary: get tested to make sure you can’t unknowingly spread disease to others. Medically Reviewed Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 09/07/2022. Learn more about our editorial process.
Apr 26, 2024 · Key points. Antibiotics are used to treat typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever. Timely treatment can help prevent serious health problems. If you are sick, you can help protect others from getting sick too. Treatment overview. Antibiotics treat typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever. Antibiotics can help you recover faster.
Apr 24, 2024 · Handwashing. Treatment Expand All. Antibiotic use. Empiric treatment. Complications. Without treatment, typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever can last for about a month. Before widespread antibiotic use, the case fatality rate for typhoid fever was higher than 10%. With appropriate treatment, the fatality rate of typhoid fever is lower than 1%.
Jan 28, 2023 · Constipation or diarrhea. Most people who have typhoid fever feel better about a week after they start treatment to kill bacteria, called antibiotics. But without treatment, there is a small chance of death from typhoid fever complications. Vaccines against typhoid fever can provide some protection.
Feb 29, 2024 · 11 min read. What Is Typhoid Fever? Typhoid fever (also called enteric fever) is a serious illness caused by infection with the Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi bacteria. A related...
Antibiotics are often used to treat the disease. To prevent typhoid fever, drink only boiled or chemically disinfected water. Also do not eat raw food that could be contaminated. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting the typhoid vaccine if you will be traveling to a high-risk area.
