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Typhoid Fever

Typhoid fever is systemic illness caused by Salmonella Typhi, usually acquired by ingesting food or water contaminated with human faeces. Symptoms overlap with many other febrile infections, so exposure alone does not confirm it.

Key takeaways

  • Sustained fever, headache, abdominal symptoms and weakness can occur, while severe disease may cause bleeding, perforation or encephalopathy.
  • Blood culture is most useful early; other specimens and resistance testing help confirm disease and guide antibiotics.
  • Antibiotic resistance varies, so historical first-line medicines should not be selected without current clinical guidance.

Catalogue matches do not diagnose typhoid or indicate an effective antibiotic, dose or duration.

Why is laboratory confirmation useful?

Malaria, dengue, leptospirosis and other infections can produce a similar fever pattern. Culture supports targeted treatment and public-health action, although prior antibiotics can reduce yield. Household transmission and chronic carriage may require follow-up.

How is treatment selected?

Choice depends on severity, likely acquisition location, culture susceptibility, pregnancy and ability to take oral medicine. Chloramphenicol has historical and limited selected uses but serious blood toxicity and substantial resistance concerns; see antibiotics.

When to seek urgent care

Seek urgent care for severe abdominal pain or swelling, black or bloody stool, confusion, collapse, persistent vomiting, reduced urine or rapid deterioration with fever.