Definition of Typhoid Infection

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 21.5 million people worldwide contract typhoid infections or typhoid fever. While only 400 cases are reported in the United States annually, typhoid is still a large threat to others, particularly in the developing world.

Identification

• Typhoid infections occur due to the Salmonella typhi bacteria.Typhoid is typically spread through poor sanitation or water becoming contaminated with the feces of people carrying the bacteria that cause typhoid.

Symptoms

• Typhoid occurs in three stages. During the first stage, symptoms include fever of 103 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, headache, weakness, throat soreness, abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation and rash. The second stage causes weight loss; distension of your abdomen; either green, runny diarrhea or severe constipation; and continuing fever, while the final stage brings delirium and the onset of what is known as a "typhoid state" of lying motionless and unresponsive.

Time Frame

• Symptoms of typhoid typically develop one to three weeks after you become infected with the bacteria, according to the World Health Organization.

Risks

• Left untreated, typhoid has the potential to cause perforation or a hole in your intestines, which can be fatal. There are also risks of infection of the tissues in your spine, meningitis, psychosis, bladder or kidney infections, psychosis and inflammation of your heart or pancreas, reports the Mayo Clinic.

Treatment and Prevention

• Fortunately, typhoid is usually curable with an antibiotic medication such as ceftriaxone. There is also a vaccination available to prevent typhoid infection.