Typhus or typhoid fever is a disease that occurs due to Salmonella typhi bacterial infection and is commonly spread through contaminated food and drink. Diseases that occur in developing countries and experienced by these children can be life-threatening if not handled properly and quickly.
Typhus can be transmitted quickly. Typhoid fever infection occurs when a person consumes a food or drink that has been contaminated with a small amount of stool containing bacteria. In rare cases, transmission occurs due to exposure to bacterial infected urine.
Typhus case
Based on a study, it was found that typhus affects 800 to 100 thousand Indonesians throughout 2008. This proves that typhoid is still an endemic disease and serious health problem in this country.
Poor sanitation and limited access to clean water are thought to be the main causes of developing typhoid fever. Incomplete immune system is thought to be the cause of the disease is more experienced by the children.
Main Symptoms: High Fever
- High fever
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Headache
- Stomach ache
This condition may worsen in a few weeks. If not treated immediately, there can be complications such as internal bleeding or rupture of the digestive system (gut). The risk of complications will also develop to be life-threatening if the situation is not addressed properly.
Home or Hospital Treatment?
If not treated properly, it is estimated that 1 in 5 people will die of typhus. While those who remain alive are at risk of suffering from infectious complications.
Typhus is typically treated with antibiotics. The decision of treatment at home or in hospital depends on the severity experienced. If typhoid is diagnosed at an early stage, you can undergo home treatment with antiobiotic treatment for 1-2 weeks.
Hospital care is necessary if the late typhoid is diagnosed or already in an advanced stage.
Typhoid Vaccination
In Indonesia, typhoid vaccine as a typhoid prevention into immunization is recommended by the government, but not yet entered into the mandatory category. Typhoid vaccine is given to children over two years old and repeated every three years. Typhoid immunization in Indonesia is done in the form of injections in toddlers and in oral form in children over the age of six years.
As with other vaccines, typhoid vaccine does not provide 100 percent protection. Children who have been immunized typhoid can still be infected, but the rate of infection experienced by a vaccinated child will not be as heavy as those who have not been vaccinated at all.
Vaccination is also recommended for people who intend to work or travel to areas that are being hit by cases of typhus spread. Another precaution that also needs to be done is to pay attention to food and drink to be consumed.
If you and your child intend to eat outdoors, should avoid eating in the open are easily exposed to bacteria and are advised to consume beverages in packaging.
Causes Typhus
Typhoid-causing bacteria , Salmonella typhi, enter the intestine through contaminated food or drink to then breed in the gastrointestinal tract. High fever, abdominal pain, constipation, or diarrhea will arise when these bacteria have multiplied.
These bacteria are related, but not the same as the salmonella bacteria that cause a person to be food poisoning.
Bad Sanitation is a major cause of transmission
Feces containing Salmonella typhi bacteria are the main source of transmission of typhus. These feces are produced by people who have been infected first. In a country like Indonesia, the spread of Salmonella typhi bacteria usually occurs through the consumption of water contaminated with infected feces.
The same impact occurs in foods that are washed with contaminated water. This condition is mainly due to poor sanitation and access to clean water.
These bacteria can also spread if people who have been infected with bacteria do not wash their hands before touching or processing food. The spread of bacteria occurs when there are others who eat food that is touched by the hand of the person.
People who eat processed foods will also be infected if the processor does not wash his hands after urination because transmission can also occur from urine with bacteria, although this way is more rare.
Some of the following situations may also be the cause of the spread of typhoid:
- Eating seafood from water contaminated with urine and feces infected
- Eating seafood from contaminated water urine and feces infected
- Eating vegetables using fertilizer consisting of infected human waste
- Eating dairy products that have been contaminated
- Using toilets that are contaminated with bacteria. You will become infected if you touch your mouth before washing your hands after having a bowel movement.
- Perform oral sex with carriers of Salmonella typhi bacteria.
If not treated promptly, Salmonella typhi will spread throughout the body by entering the blood vessels. Typhus symptoms will worsen if bacteria have spread beyond the digestive system. In addition, spreading bacteria can damage organs and tissues and cause serious complications. The most common conditions occur are internal bleeding or leaking bowel.
