Paratyphoid fever or paratyphoid fever is an infectious disease caused by bacteria Salmonellaparathyphi. This bacterial infection can invade the intestines and spread to the bloodstream. Salmonellaparathyphi found a lot in areas with poor environmental and water hygiene.
Paratyphoid disease has symptoms similar to typhoid. However, the symptoms of paratyphoid are generally milder and complications are less common. The causes of paratyphoid and typhoid are also different. Typhoid is caused by bacteria Salmonella typhi.
Just like typhoid, paratyphoid fever can also occur if a person consumes food or drink contaminated with the bacteria that causes it. In this case it is Salmonellaparathyphi.
Cause of Paratyphoid
Bacteria Salmonella paratyphi The causes of paratyphoid are divided into 3 types, namely:
- Salmonella paratyphi A
- Salmonella paratyphi B (Salmonella schottmuelleri)
- Salmonella paratyphi C (Salmonella hirschfeldii)
Bacterial transmission S. paratyphi It can occur when a person accidentally consumes food or drink contaminated with feces or urine of a patient with paratyphoid. For example, when the patient does not wash his hands after leaving the toilet, then touches an object or food that is then touched or eaten by another person.
Transmission of this bacterium can also occur when a person drinks water from contaminated water sources without boiling it first, and eats raw or undercooked seafood from contaminated water sources.
Paratyphoid risk factors
The following factors can increase a person's risk of developing paratyphoid:
- Travel to paratyphoid or typhoid endemic areas
- Have a history of contact or living with people with paratyphoid fever
- Still children
- Living in an area with poor sanitation
In addition, a person who has a history of using drugs for the stomach or immunosuppressant drugs, suffers from digestive tract disorders, and has conditions that cause decreased immune levels, such as HIV/AIDS, are also at higher risk of developing infectious diseases, including paratyphoid fever.
Symptoms of Paratyphoid
The time span since a person is infected with the bacteria Salmonella paratyphi until the appearance of symptoms, or also known as the incubation period, is about 6-30 days. However, in some people, this time span can be faster. After the incubation period, complaints or symptoms will appear in the form of:
- Fever
- Headache
- No appetite (anorexia)
- Feeling unwell (malaise)
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Stomach hurts
- Nausea and vomiting
The pattern of fever in paratyphoid is usually similar to that of typhoid fever, which increases gradually with higher body temperature at night.
Some people with paratyphoid may also experience other symptoms, such as weakness, red rashes on the body (rose spot), dry cough, sore throat, or enlarged liver and spleen (hepatosplenomegaly).
When to go to the doctor
Consult a doctor if you experience the symptoms mentioned above. Symptoms and complaints of paratyphoid fever are sometimes similar to the symptoms of other infectious diseases, so it is necessary to do an examination to determine the exact cause before complications occur.
If diagnosed with paratyphoid fever, you may be advised to have regular check-ups during treatment, to monitor the progress of the disease condition and the success of therapy.
Diagnosis of Paratyphoid
To diagnose paratyphoid, the doctor will ask the patient's complaints and symptoms, the patient's travel history or living conditions, the food and drinks consumed by the patient, and whether there are people in the household or neighbors who experience similar symptoms.
Next, the doctor will perform an examination, including to measure the patient's body temperature, and see whether there is a red rash on the skin and enlargement of the spleen and liver.
To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will perform supporting examinations in the form of:
- Culture of blood, urine, or feces, to determine the type of bacteria that causes complaints and symptoms
- Widal test, to detect the level and presence of antibodies that can indicate infection paratyphi
Paratyphoid Treatment
Treatment of paratyphoid aims to relieve symptoms, treat infection, and prevent recurrence. There are 3 methods to treat paratyphoid, namely the administration of drugs, self-management, and hospitalization.
Givingdrugs
If symptoms have arisen, the doctor will give medication to relieve complaints and symptoms, as well as to treat infection. Some of the drugs that will be given are:
- Fever-reducing medications, such as paracetamol
- Antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin, third-generation cephalosporins, ampicillin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, or cotrimoxazole
Self handling
Patients with paratyphoid need to get adequate nutrition and fluid intake, for example by increasing the consumption of water. This is done to prevent dehydration due to fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Maintenancein the hospital
Hospitalization needs to be done if the patient continues to vomit and have diarrhea, especially if accompanied by a tense and enlarged stomach (distension). In this condition, the doctor will give drugs and fluids through an IV.
One of the complications of paratyphoid is intestinal tearing. If the intestine is torn due to paratyphoid, the patient will need to undergo surgery so that the abdominal cavity can be cleaned of feces that come out of the intestine and the tear in the intestine can be repaired.
Paratyphoid complications
If left untreated, paratyphoid can cause several complications. Generally, these complications appear in the 2nd or 3rd week after the patient is infected.
Complications that can occur due to paratyphoid fever are:
- Blood stream infection that can cause sepsis
- Inflammation of certain organs, such as the pancreas or heart
- Meningitis
- Intestinal bleeding
- Torn or ruptured bowel (bowel perforation)
Paratyphoid Prevention
Unlike typhoid, until now there is no vaccine to prevent paratyphoid disease. The typhoid vaccine cannot be used to prevent paratyphoid because the bacteria that cause these two diseases are different.
Even so, the risk of developing paratyphoid fever can be reduced by doing the following:
- Wash hands with soap and clean water before preparing food, before eating, or after urinating and defecating
- Peel the skin of the fruit before eating it
- Drink bottled water or boil water before drinking it
- Brush your teeth and rinse your mouth with boiled water or bottled water
- Do not share the use of eating and drinking utensils and toiletries with others
- Do not eat raw, undercooked, or unsanitary drinks