Typhoid fever

Alternative names:

enteric fever

Symptoms:

• severe headache
• fever
• loss of appetite
• general discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)
• rash (rose spots) appearing on the lower chest and abdomen during the second week of the fever
• abdominal tenderness
• constipation, then diarrhea
• stools, bloody
• slow, sluggish, lethargic
• fatigue
• weakness
• nosebleed
• chills
• delirium
• confusion
• agitation
• fluctuating mood
• difficulty paying attention (attention deficit)
• hallucinations

Signs and tests:

A blood culture during first week of the fever can show Salmonella typhi bacteria. Note: A stool culture is unreliable.

Other tests:

• ELISA test on urine may show Vi antigen specific for the bacteria
• platelet count (decreased platelets)
• fluorescent antibody study (demonstrates Vi antigen, which is specific for typhoid)