Typhoid is a bacterial infection that causes severe pain in the stomach and fever. However, it also causes other symptoms, such as headache, cough, diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting. If you have any of these symptoms, you can consult with the General Physician in Lahore.
To know about how you can prevent the spread of typhoid, you need to know how it spreads.
Typhoid spreads from one person to another through the transmission of the bacteria Salmonella Typhi. It can be transmitted through:
- Fecal oral route
- Typhoid carriers
Fecal oral route
The fecal-oral route means that you catch the bacteria from someone’s feces, and it enters your body through the mouth. For more understanding, it can be said that if a person having typhoid does not wash their hands properly after using the toilet and preparing the food that you eat, eventually the bacteria enter your body.
Moreover, if the infected person does not wash their hands properly after using the toilet, and they shake hands with you, or you start eating without washing your hands properly, the bacteria can enter your body too. However, washing hands can play a role in breaking the chain of infection transmission.
You can also catch typhoid through contaminated water. If the infected stools infect the water, the bacteria can enter your digestive system too. Therefore in underdeveloped countries, it is advised to boil the water before drinking.
If the food is infected with Salmonella typhi, you can get it too. Therefore make sure you eat from reliable places where food is cooked in hygienic conditions.
Typhoid Carriers
Some people even complete their antibiotic course for typhoid, but the bacteria are not killed completely. It may reside in your body silently, which means it does not cause any symptoms to you but is present in your stool. In this state, you can still transmit typhoid to another person if your handwashing technique is not appropriate. Therefore make sure you properly complete the antibiotic course. Do not miss the dose or stop taking them as soon as you start to feel better. Your healthcare providers may perform tests after the completion of the antibiotic course to know about the presence of bacteria.
Tips to Prevent Typhoid Fever
For the prevention of typhoid fever, you should follow these guidelines.
Disinfect Your Hands
Make sure to wash your hands properly with soap and water after using the toilet and especially before cooking the food. If you do not have water available, you can use an alcohol-based sanitizer to disinfect your hands.
Do not Drink Untreated Water
You should try your best to avoid drinking untreated water. If you are in a place where typhoid is prevalent, you must boil it before drinking. You can also drink mineral water but avoid drinking untreated water that may contain bacteria.
Drinking contaminated water is one of the most common sources of typhoid fever. Therefore you should be vigilant about it. Along with it, you should use treated water for brushing your teeth or swishing and make sure that you do not swallow water in the shower. Avoid taking the ice in drinks too.
Avoid Raw Fruits and Vegetables
Do not eat raw fruits and vegetables and especially the ones you can not peel off because they may be washed with contaminated water. To consume fruits, consume them after peeling and washing with clean water. To eat vegetables, you can cook them.
Choose Hot Foods
Prefer to eat hot and sizzling foods from outdoors instead of cold or raw foods. However, hot foods also do not guarantee that they will be safe for you. Moreover, avoid eating food from street vendors.
Avoid Directly Touching The Food
While preparing food, try your best to avoid touching the food directly. Wear gloves if you need to do that.
The Bottom Line
People who live or travel to the areas where typhoid is prevalent can get a vaccine against it. For an expert opinion, you can consult a General Physician in Karachi.
