Salmonella Typhi is the bacterium that causes Typhoid. This infection results in high fever, diarrhea and vomiting. This can be extremely fatal if left untreated. Read below to know more about if the disease is an infectious disease and also know about which organ in the human body is affected by typhoid.
Is Typhoid An Infectious Disease?
Typhoid is a bacterial infection that is caused by the bacteria S. typhi. The typhoid infection is often passed on via contaminated water and food, and it is more prevalent in places where people do not wash their hands frequently. The typhoid infection can also be passed on by carriers who do not know that they carry the S. typhi bacteria. In the United States, around 5,700 cases of typhoid are noted annually and 75% of these begin while travelling internationally.
Typhoid can be successfully treated with antibiotics, if it is caught early. However, if it is left untreated, it can be seriously fatal.
Typhoid infection can be transmitted from one individual to another through feces. If an individual does not clean up properly after having a bowel movement, he bacteria can stick to the hands and contaminate the food when it is touched. When this food is shared by other people, they also can get infected with this bacterium and have typhoid infection.
Some individuals, known as Carriers, can be infected with the Salmonella typhi bacteria, but not develop typhoid disease. However, if they prepare food for others, they may contaminate the food that they handle and pass the bacteria on to other people who eat it and then may become sick.
Which Organs Does Typhoid Affect?
Mostly, the digestive system in the human body is affected by the typhoid bacteria. The bacteria S. typhi moves down into the digestive system of the human body when an individual consumes food or drinks hat are contaminated by an infected person. It then quickly multiplies in the digestive system or in some of the cells in the lymph nodes around the bowel give rise to the presenting symptoms like high fever, pain in the stomach, diarrhea or constipation. The ability of the bacteria to survive inside the cells of the lymph nodes around the bowel is an important factor that contributes to their ability to cause infection.
If the infection is left untreated, the bacteria can infiltrate the blood and ultimately to spread to other parts of the body. When the bacteria spreads to other parts through the digestive system it may make the symptoms of the infection worse in the ensuing weeks following the infection. There may lead to potentially serious complications like internal bleeding or rupture of a part of the bowel due to damage caused to the organs and tissues by the typhoid infection.
Conclusion:
So, we know that typhoid is very much infectious and can affect the digestive system as well as other parts of the body if left untreated. It is thus, very much essential for each one of us to be very much cautious about our hygiene and also consult with the doctor in case of any noticeable symptom of typhoid, so as to get properly diagnosed and treated at its best.
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