Thread by @DrJohnAfam

Sam: you don go hospital?
Bright: Dem gimme drugs but i dey go buy Typhoid drugs,that doctor young,e never sabi work
Sam: But the doctor nor talk say you get typhoid na
Bright: How you take know say i nor get? You be Doctor?
Why does everyone in Nigeria have Typhoid?
#IssaThread

Doctor: So we would give you these antimalarials.
Take them for 3 days anf you would feel better.

Iya Ibeji : Doctor, no Typhoid medicine?

Doctor : No you dont have Typhoid

Iya Ibeji : Doctor? You sure? Na me know my Body o. This one pass ordinary Malaria o

These are just a couple of Everyday scenarios that are commonplace in our Clime.

If you are ill and haven't been treated for Malaria and Typhoid...have you even started.

But should it really be so?

What is Typhoid Fever?
Why is it so common?

Typhoid Fever is an Acute bacterial Illness, Spread by eating Contaminated food or Water.

It could be Fatal if untreated with Over 200,000 people dying yearly from the disease world wide.

Also Called Enteric Fever, It is caused by ingestion of Food or Water , Which has been contaminated with the Bacteria.

This Bacteria when ingested could cause a severe illness or a mild one in which the individual might not get sick but just become a "carrier" infecting others.

The Bacteria enter into the intestine, and are carried by the blood cells to the Spleen and Bone Marrow, where they multiply and Re invade the Biliary tract, and lymphatic system of the Bowel.

It is excreted in the stool, which contaminates Water and Food

The Symptoms of Enteric Fever include.

Headaches
Poor appetite
Lethargy
Generalized body pains
High Fever
Diarrhoea
Dry Cough
Right Upper Quadrant Pain

If untreated, These symptoms could progress quickly to Delirium, Intestinal Perforation and Death within one month.

Yes it is that serious.

Treatment for Enteric Fever is Antibiotics.
Choice of which depends on severity of illness and the pattern of resistance

How do you Diagnose Enteric Fever.

Diagnosis is made by Culture
Stool,Blood or Bone marrow or Lymph node.

To increase Specificity, Large Volume Blood Cultures (20ml) or multiple stool samples are encouraged.

Serology e.g Widal used to be the mainstay of therapy but it is no longer accepted due to its lack of Specificity or Sensitivity.

It is easily swayed by antibody sensitisation.

So "Widal" reactive for Typhoid doesnt mean you have typhoid.

N.B - An individual suffering from typhoid fever is Very Sick (Toxic).

So if you dont just feel too well, you probably dont have Typhoid.

Questions, Comments, RT are appreciated.
#DrJohnAfam