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What do you do if you think you have typhoid fever or paratyphoid fever? The only way to know for sure is to have a sample of blood or stool (poop) tested for Salmonella Typhi or Salmonella Paratyphi. If you have a fever and feel very ill, see a doctor immediately.
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Early illness
Early symptoms include:
Later illness
A few weeks after symptoms start, the illness can cause problems in the intestines. People may have: In very serious cases, people may:
See a health care provider right away if you think you might have typhoid fever.
If you get sick while traveling in a foreign country, know who to call for a list of providers. For some that might be the closest embassy or consulate.
If you have symptoms after you return home, consider seeing a provider who focuses on international travel medicine or infectious diseases. This might help get typhoid fever diagnosed and treated more quickly.
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A bacteria strain called Salmonella enterica serotype typhi causes typhoid fever. Other strains of salmonella bacteria cause a similar disease called paratyphoid fever.
People pick up the bacteria most often in places where outbreaks are common. The bacteria passes out of the body in the stool and urine of people who are carrying the bacteria. Without careful hand-washing after going to the bathroom, the bacteria can move from the hands to objects or other people.
Typhoid fever is a serious worldwide threat and affects millions of people each year. Places with the highest number of cases or with regular outbreaks are in Africa and South Asia. But cases are recorded worldwide, often due to travelers to and from these areas.
If you live in a country where typhoid fever is rare, you're at increased risk if you:
•Work in or travel to areas where typhoid fever is established, especially if you travel to visit family or friends. People visiting loved ones may have higher social pressure to drink or eat foods that present a higher risk.
•Work as a clinical microbiologist handling Salmonella enterica serotype typhi bacteria.
Damage to the intestines
Typhoid fever complications can include damage and bleeding in the intestines. Typhoid fever also can cause cells in the walls of the small intestine or large bowel to die off. This allows the contents of the gut to leak into the body. That can cause severe stomach pain, vomiting and infection throughout the body called sepsis. Damage to the intestines can develop in the later part of the illness. These life-threatening complications require immediate medical care. Other possible complications include:
People can get a vaccination against typhoid fever. This is an option if you live where typhoid fever is common. It is also an option if you plan to travel to a place where the risk is high.
Where typhoid fever is common, access to treated water helps avoid contact with the Salmonella enterica serotype typhi bacteria. Management of human waste also helps people avoid the bacteria. And careful hand-washing for people who prepare and serve food is also important.
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Sep 7, 2022 · 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.
Feb 29, 2024 · Typhoid fever is a serious infection. You get it by eating or drinking something that's contaminated with Salmonella Typhi bacteria. If you think you have typhoid fever, call a doctor...
Call your healthcare provider right away if your symptoms return or get worse, or you have new ones. Key points about typhoid fever. Typhoid fever is a serious infection caused by bacteria. In the U.S., most cases are in people who get the disease while traveling in other countries.
Jan 28, 2023 · Treatment. 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.
