Parent and Baby

With numerous victims every year, the health alert on this life threatening disease is up once again. Parents are set on heightening the barriers against typhoid and ensuring their child’s safety. The World Health Organization identifies typhoid as a serious public health problem.

Typhoid fever is an illness caused by the Salmonella typhi bacteria. It is more prevalent in developing countries because of poor sanitation with its incidence highest in children between 5 and 19 years old. Salmonella typhi lives only in humans, with the bacteria travelling through the bloodstream into the intestinal tract. Transmitted primarily through the oral-fecal route, one can get infected by consuming food and drinks handled by a contaminate person with Salmonella typhi or if the water used in washing food is contaminated. Contaminated shellfish, raw vegetables and fruits, non-pasteurized milk and dairy products are also possible sources. Once the bacteria enter the person’s body, they multiply and spread to the whole body.

It takes about one or two weeks after contamination before symptoms show. It includes sustained high fever, severe headache, overall fatigue and weakness, loss of appetite, diarrhea or constipation and abdominal discomfort. The only way to confirm it is through stool examination and blood culture.

Antibiotics are given to fight the infection and rid the body of the bacteria. The patient usually feels better after two to three days. Symptoms are also treated with fluid replacement (for diarrhea) and paracetamol for fever. Adequate rest is important. Some people become carriers of Salmonella typhi even after treatment so follow up check ups are needed.

Vaccination is the first step towards prevention but this does not guarantee of complete protection. Vaccinated children may develop less severe but prolonged symptoms which still need medical attention. Most importantly, you must practice the “neat alert” at home like the following:

1. Practice good personal hygiene.
2. Wash hands properly with soap and water before eating or handling food, after going to the toilet and after changing your baby’s    diapers.
3. Clip fingernails regularly to avoid bacteria from building up under the nails.
4. Handle and prepare food properly.
5. Bring drinking water to a rolling boil for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Cook food thoroughly. Keep any food covered to keep flies out from it.
7. Wash all vegetable and fruit thoroughly, especially those that are to be eaten raw.
8. Scrub and rinse shellfish in clean water.
9. Keep two sets of utensils for food preparation, one for cooked food and another for raw food.
10. Consume cooked food as soon as possible. If necessary, refrigerate leftover food and reheat thoroughly before consumption. Discard any spoiled food properly.
11. Store perishable food in the refrigerator. Keep it tightly covered and labeled with date it was cooked.
12. Buy bottled water when dining out. Ask for drinks without ice unless the ice is made from bottled or boiled water.
13. Keep your home surroundings clean to eliminate every possible breeding area for flies and mosquitoes.