Article by – Jigar Patel
Monsoon is easily one of the best seasons because who doesn’t like cloudy skies and great weather? But unfortunately, it is also the most favourable season for infectious diseases, typhoid being the most common one of them.
What is typhoid? How does it spread?
Typhoid is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria Salmonella Typhi (S. Typhi) and Salmonella Paratyphi. It is usually spread through contaminated food and water or close contact with an infected person. It is also said to spread through flies and faeces. The microorganisms enter the digestive organs and later into the blood, where they travel to the liver, gall bladder, lymph nodes, spleen, and other body parts.
People who are exposed to typhoid bacteria gradually develop symptoms like fever, aches, chills, and diarrhoea over 10 to 14 days. Therefore, it’s important to seek urgent medical care in this condition.
How to prevent typhoid?
Typhoid can lead to extreme exhaustion and can also be fatal if the correct treatment isn’t taken. Therefore, it is best to take preventative measures and steer clear of the infection. Here are some tips to prevent this communicable disease:
Cook Your Food Well – Properly cooked food can help kill or inactivate the Salmonella bacteria responsible for causing the infection, which reduces the risk of transmission. So, make sure to cook your food well and avoid eating raw or half-boiled items. When eating out, choose reputable restaurants and food vendors who follow proper hygiene practices. Also, eating hot, freshly-prepared food prevents the bacteria from infecting or surviving in it. So, consume your food while it is still hot. And if you decide to have it later, make sure that it is properly covered and reheated when required.
Drink Clean Water
Contaminated water is one of the top reasons for typhoid fever. Therefore, it is advised to avoid drinking untreated or unboiled water. You can use a water purifier at home so the water supply is clean and fresh. However, It is very important to stay healthy during travel therefore It is advised to drink bottled water or use water purification methods like boiling, especially in areas where the water supply may be contaminated.
Also, make sure that dirty water from sewage, overflowing tanks, etc., is not collected around your house. Water can easily be contaminated and then further spread the bacteria through flies.
Practise Good Hygiene
Since typhoid can be spread by encountering an infected person, it is important to wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Good hygiene also includes washing hands after using the bathroom, before eating, and after being in public places. Hand sanitisers can be used as an alternative if soap and water are not available.
And when it comes to food hygiene, it is advised to wash fruits and vegetables with clean water before consuming them to remove any potential contamination. The idea is to prevent Salmonella bacteria from entering your body.
Get Vaccination Done
Consider getting vaccinated against typhoid before the monsoon season and before planning to travel to areas where the disease is prevalent. There are both oral and injectable options available for typhoid with different doses. Check with your doctor and find out how you can take timely vaccinations to stay protected.
Consult a doctor
Typhoid can have serious health complications for people if they don’t consult a doctor and take proper medication. So, if you or anyone around you is showing symptoms like aches, fever, changes in appetite, tiredness, etc., reach out to your doctor who may then recommend a widal test to confirm the diagnosis.
Your doctor may also recommend an ideal diet to recover quickly. This is the reason it is important to have professional help. Typhoid fever can have severe consequences, which is why taking preventive measures is crucial. However, it is important to stay aware and not get intimated so you can take good care of yourself.
Follow the tips above dedicatedly and you will certainly be able to stay completely healthy this monsoon season. I hope this was helpful!
Jigar Patel is the Founder of Health-e, a HealthTech app that simplifies health records management along with providing personalized and preventative healthcare solutions. Although he has 20+ years of operations and management experience in the EPC domain, Jigar’s true passion lies in making healthcare simpler, faster and more accessible for doctors and patients alike. He strongly believes that people need to be empowered to participate in their own healthcare and is constantly thinking of ways to build this into his app. He loves to keep things simple be it in life, product design, his work or the content he develops. Being married for 10 years and having 2 kids have taught him that perspective matters, so you can always count on him to share new perspectives on various topics.
