Typhoid fever is a fatal infection humans catch through the bacterium Salmonella Typhi.
The infection is endemic in many Southeast Asian countries including Nepal and India.
In Nepal’s context, more than 82,000 cases of this endemic come to light from what is estimated.
The most common transmission pathway is the intake of contaminated food or water. As millions of microscopic bacteria invade the human system, they begin to significantly expand, multiply, and hijack the bloodstream.
From there onwards, the sickness begins! In places where large gatherings of probable infectants occur rapidly multiply the rate of transmission in no time.
Why Typhoid Is Called Enteric Fever?
Let’s Answer The Question On Why Typhoid Is Called Enteric Fever?
Typhoid is also called enteric fever because the causative agent salmonella typhoid usually affects the intestinal mucosa. In Greek “enteron” means intestine.
Hence the popular name!
Widal test which works on the fundamentals of biochemical agglutination is the widely adopted test to confirm the typhoid infection.
What does Typhoid IgG and IgM positive means?
If you have got your typhoid test done and confused about IgG and IgG being positive, we’ve got you!
Typhoid IgG and IgM are antibodies produced by the body in response to a Salmonella typhi infection, which causes typhoid fever.
- IgM (Immunoglobulin M): This antibody is typically the first to appear after an infection. A positive IgM test generally indicates an acute or recent infection.
- IgG (Immunoglobulin G): This antibody takes longer to develop and can persist for a longer period. A positive IgG test can indicate either a current or past infection.
If both IgG and IgM are positive, it strongly suggests an active typhoid infection.
However, Interpretation of results should always be done by a healthcare professional.
What Happens To The Body During Typhoid? Symptoms Breakdown!
Typhoid’s spectrum of symptoms is numerous and affects a lot of body parts and bodily functions. Let’s identify the affected body parts in depth:
- Diarrhea
- High Fever
- Myalgia
- Abdominal Pain
- Rashes
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Chills
- Loss of Appetite
- Vomiting Tendency
The most persistent and almost certain symptom of this dangerous disease is a fever ranging from 103 – 104 degrees for almost 10-14 days causing excruciating discomfort and mental distress.
Preventive Measures Of Typhoid
World Health Organization says “To reach global health goals, we must be proactive and invest in novel illness prevention, diagnostic, and treatment solutions.”
Now scanning precisely to the powerful word “novel illness prevention”, we can derive that prevention is the first and in fact the most crucial step that prevents the occurrence of the disease itself!
Diving the preventive measures into two parallel halves interconnected to one another, let’s learn about how one can stay away from contracting Typhoid ailment:
Prevention
- Adopting the habit of frequently washing hands using soap, handwashing, and preferably in warm water before, cooking, eating food, and after the use of a toiler.
- Avoid intake of contaminated water or any fluids that haven’t been boiled or marked safe to drink by manufacturers.
- Staying away from playing near polluted rivers, grounds, and swampy areas.
- Consuming food items that have been cooked properly and served steaming hot.
- Likewise, a big “no” to foods kept at room temperature or out of the refrigerator for a long time should be an issue.
Vaccination
Vaccination against typhoid is one of the most encouraged global campaigns and immunization efforts. Especially in countries like Nepal where sanitation isn’t at an optimum level level.
There are two types of vaccines against this fever caused by salmonella typhoid which usually affects the intestinal mucosa. The inactivated injectable vaccine lasts (2-3 years) and the live attenuated oral vaccine (lasts 5-7years).
It is recommended to consult a healthcare professional like Era, before choosing the type of vaccine to get administered.
Status Of Typhoid In Nepal
It is no news that Nepal is a typhoid-endemic country and records some of the highest infection data each year. Although the situation hasn’t been cooled off, active addressing efforts have been launched.
The government of Nepal in support of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO, UNICEF and other partners, launched an immunization program nationwide in 2022. This initiation encouraged around 50,000 vaccination sites installed throughout Nepal.
The campaign aimed to reach 95% coverage of nearly 7.5 million children with Typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV).
Recommendation To Travelers
- Travelers proceeding or making their trip to endemic areas are at prolonged risk to get hold of typhoid hence, vaccination is necessary.
- Likewise, adventure travelers and those visiting friends and family living in areas pertaining low sanitation levels must consider the efficacy of vaccination.
- Also, it is worth considering that, the original infection doesn’t provide immunity to subsequent infections. If a highly prone area has been stepped into, vaccination should immediately be registered!
If you are a tourist visiting Nepal, or already enjoying your stay, Era International Hospital is your trusted healthcare partner. We offer world-class medical facilities and specialized care tailored to the needs of international visitors. Our dedicated team of experts is committed to providing you with exceptional medical treatment during your time in Nepal.
