By Admin 
Food And Water Borne Diseases: Typhoid still remains a major health challenge in India. Many cases of this are reported every year, especially during the monsoon and subsequent seasons. A recent typhoid outbreak in Gandhinagar, Gujarat left nearly 100 people hospitalized, highlighting how quickly the disease can spread in areas with poor water and lack of sanitation. Typhoid is caused by a bacteria called Salmonella Typhi, which enters the body through contaminated food and water. If timely treatment is not received, it can also be fatal.
What is typhoid fever?
Typhoid fever is a serious infection, which is also called enteric fever in medical language. This disease mainly affects the intestines and blood, causing high fever, stomach pain and weakness. Every year around 47 to 48 lakh cases of typhoid are reported in India and many people also die. This disease is more common in children and youth, but anyone living or traveling in an area where there is lack of clean water and sanitation can fall prey to it.
When does it become dangerous?
Treatment of typhoid becomes more dangerous when it is not identified at the right time or antibiotics are given which do not affect the bacteria. In many parts of India, typhoid bacteria have now become resistant to medicines, making treatment more difficult. The biggest reason for the spread of typhoid in India is contaminated water and poor sanitation. In many places, water from open wells, hand pumps and pipelines is still used, which gets contaminated with sewage during rains or floods. Open defecation, overflowing drains and weak sewage systems also help bacteria spread rapidly.
Apart from this, cooking and selling food without cleanliness is also a big reason. If things like street food, raw vegetables, lassi and sugarcane juice are not prepared with clean water and hands, then the risk of spreading infection increases. Even after recovering from typhoid, some people carry bacteria in their body and keep infecting others unknowingly.
When do symptoms start appearing?
Symptoms of typhoid usually start appearing 1 to 3 weeks after infection. In the beginning its symptoms seem like severe flu. Its common symptoms are gradually increasing high fever, headache, weakness, extreme fatigue, stomach ache, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, dry cough and slow heartbeat despite high fever. As the disease progresses, small pinkish rashes may appear on the chest and stomach, the stomach may become swollen and weakness increases greatly. In severe cases, the patient may experience confusion, unconsciousness, bleeding or perforation in the intestines, which is considered a medical emergency. If someone has high fever for more than 3 to 4 days along with stomach pain, then he should definitely get tested for typhoid.
Also read: These are the strangest diseases of the world, you will be shocked to hear the condition of those suffering from them.
Disclaimer: This information is based on research studies and expert opinion. Do not consider this as a substitute for medical advice. Before adopting any new activity or exercise, please consult your doctor or relevant specialist.
Check out below Health Tools-
Calculate Your Body Mass Index (BMI)
Calculate The Age Through Age Calculator