Typhoid fever - Congo

Typhoid fever – Congo

February 21, 2022
< 1 min read

1458 cases of typhoid fever have been recorded since the beginning of the year in the city of Panzi, province of Kwango in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection that can spread throughout the body, affecting many organs. Without prompt treatment, it can cause serious complications and can be fatal. It’s caused by a bacterium called Salmonella typhi, which is related to the bacteria that cause salmonella food poisoning. Symptoms include fever, sweating, muscle aches, dry cough and stomach pains. Incubation period of 6 to 30 days.

1458 cases reported, no deaths or hospitalisations reported.

Dr. François Mwakisenda insisted on the respect of hygiene which is an effective means of prevention against this disease called dirty hands.

Photo: Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium – Cultured in medium

Typhoid fever, so-called enteric fever caused by Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi, has a totally different presentation from that of the commoner kinds of salmonellosis.

It is usually spread by contaminated food or water. Typhoid fever is not a zoonosis like the more commonly seen types of salmonellosis.

Vomiting and diarrhea are typically absent but constipation is frequently reported.

The word typhoid (as in typhus-like) reflects the similarity of the louse-borne rickettsial disease epidemic typhus and that of typhoid fever; in fact, in some areas, typhoid fever is still referred to as abdominal typhus.

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