It is an acute infectious disease of the small intestine, caused by salmonella typhi, transmitted through fecal contaminated water, food and vegetables, usually affecting the school children.

Clinically, it is characterized by continuous fever for prolonged period, severe prodromal symptoms and involvement of lymphoid tissue.

With availability of antibiotics, case fatality rate is reduced  to 10 percent.

The term enteric fever includes both typhoid  and paratyphoid fever is caused by salm paratyphi A and B.

Unless otherwise specified, enteric fever always means typhoid fever. Paratyphi is less severe.

Cause

Salmonella typhi

It is a gram negative bacilli.

Source of infection

The main source of infection is the feces of the infected person , to some extent urine also.

Secondary sources are contaminated water, food and fruits and vegetables.

Clinical Feature

During the first week of illness, there is gradual onset of fever, continuous, raise day by day in a 'step ladder' fashion, association with chills and severe prodromal symptoms such as headache, bodyache, malaise, loss of appetite, joint pains with occasional vomiting. Fever will be in the range of 38 to 40 ' C. Often there will be dry cough.

During second week, temperature reaches its plateau 104' F, skin is dry and hot, tongue is coated, patients looks tired, abdominal is distended, spleen is enlarged and soft, tenderness in the right iliac fossa, relative bradycardia and often there will be transient appearance of rashes over the abdomen, which fade on pressure . There may be diarrhea with pea soup stools.

During third week, the patient will have signs of toxemia such as very high temperature, rapid thready pulse, mentally dull, delirious, disoriented, sleepy, confused, talks irrelevantly, will have toxic face, later becomes stuporous, develops coma and dies.

Case fatality rate is 10 percent in untreated case.

Those who recover following the development of antibodies and with or without treatment, temperature falls by lysis, appetite improve, distension of abdomen, disappears, strength improves and the convalescence is slow.

Complications

Relapse

Hemorrhage

Perforation

Meningitis

Myocarditis 

Gallstones 

Pneumonia

Hepatitis

Osteomyelitis

Arthritis

Thrombophlebitis.

Treatment

Isolation

Antipyretic

Concurrent disinfection

Ceftriaxone

Homoeopathic Medicine for Typhoid fever

1. Rhus Tox
2. Bryonia
3. Baptisia Tinctoria

Rhus Tox

A typhoid type of fever, make this remedy frequently indicated.

Adynamic, restless trembling.

Typhoid tongue dry and brown sordes, bowels loose.

Great restlessness.

Intermittent chill with dry cough and restlessness.

Chilly as if cold water poured over him, followed by heat and inclination to stretch the limb.

Modalities- worse cold, wet rainy weather and after rain, at night during sleep.

Bryonia

It is highly effective remedy for typhoid fever.

Pulse full and hard, tense and quick.

Chill with external coldness

Dry cough stitches.

Internal heat.

Sour sweat after slight exertion.

Rheumatic and Typhoid fever is marked by gastro hepatic complications.

Modalities- worse by warmth, any motion, hot weather, exertion.

Better by rest and cold things.

The selection of homoeopathic remedies based on symptom similarities and doses according to the Susceptibility of patient.

Don't take homoeopathic medicine without any prescription / without any advise of physician.