QUEEN VICTORIA
Age: 124
7815 days old here
Total Posts: 26285
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Lahore, Pakistan
How is Typhoid Fever treated and what is the prognosis?
Typhoid Fever is treated with antibiotics which kill the Salmonella bacteria. Prior to the use of antibiotics, the fatality rate was 10%. Death occurred from overwhelming infection, pneumonia, intestinal bleeding, or intestinal perforation. With antibiotics and supportive care, mortality has been reduced to 1-2%.
Several antibiotics are effective for the treatment of typhoid fever. Chloramphenicol was the original drug of choice for many years. Because of rare serious side effects, chloramphenicol has been replaced by other effective antibiotics. If relapses occur, patients are retreated with antibiotics.
The carrier state, which occurs in 3-5% of those infected, can be treated with prolonged antibiotics. Often, removal of the gallbladder, the site of chronic infection, will cure the carrier state.
For those traveling to high risk areas, vaccines are now available.
Typhoid Fever At A Glance
Typhoid Fever is caused by salmonellae typhi bacteria.
Typhoid Fever is contracted by the ingestion of contaminated food or water.
Diagnosis of typhoid fever is made when the Salmonella bacteria is detected with a stool culture.
Typhoid Fever is treated with antibiotics.
Typhoid Fever symptoms are poor appetite, headaches, generalized aches and pains, fever, and lethargy.
3-5% of patients become carriers of the bacteria after the acute illness.
