Typhoid

Typhoid Fever

Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a bacterial infection due to Salmonella typhi 

that causes symptoms.

Symptoms may vary from mild to severe and usually begin six to thirty days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several days.

•  Weakness,
•  abdominal pain
• constipation
•  headaches also commonly occur.
•  Diarrhea is uncommon and vomiting is not usually severe.
•  Some people develop a skin rash with rose colored spots.
•  In severe cases there may be confusion.
• Without treatment, symptoms may last weeks or months.
•  Other people may carry the bacterium without being affected; however, they are still able to spread the disease to others. Typhoid fever is a type of enteric fever along with paratyphoid fever.

Cause

Bacteria

The bacterium that causes typhoid fever is Salmonella Typhi, also known as Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi.There are two main types of Typhi namely the ST1 and ST2 based on MLST subtyping scheme, which are currently widespread globally.

Transmission

Salmonella Typhi is spread through the fecal-oral route from individuals that are currently infected and from asymptomatic carriersof the bacteria. Unlike other strains of Salmonella, there are no animal carriers of S. Typhi. Humans are the only carrier of the bacteria.An asymptomatic human carrier is an individual who is still excreting S. Typhi in their stool a year after the acute stage of the infection.Human carriers are responsible for the transmission of the bacteria in endemic regions of the world.