Case Study on Typhus
Medical research reveals that typhus is a term used to describe various health conditions which caused by bacteria that belong to the Rickettsiae family. There are several kinds of typhus; and the major types are epidemic typhus, murine or endemic typhus, Brill-Zinsser disease and scrub typhus. Each type of typhus can be transmitted to humans through infected insects. The first type of typhus which is the epidemic typhus is resulted by a contact with body lice. This kind of bacteria lives in the human’s body while lice defecate. And, these feces contain bacteria that cause typhus among humans. Lice have caused wounds and when it will be scratched, the feces are rubbed in the wounds. This type of typhus is normally affecting a number of people; as lice spread immediately into crowded areas where people do not take a bath in a regular basis. The symptoms of epidemic typhus include headache, fever, muscle aches, and weakness. Rashes consisting of bumps and spots may also develop. These rashes start on the chest, back, and abdomen and spread to the legs and arms. The brain or heart muscle may also get swollen in extreme cases, which may lead to death if not treated early. The next type of typhus is the Brill-Zinsser disease. It is a form of typhus that is actually a reactivation of a previous typhus infection when a person’s immune system is weakened by the former. This may occur as a complication of illness, surgery, or simply through aging process. Usually, this form of typhus affects individual’s years after having overcome epidemic typhus and is quite mild. Symptoms include a week-long fever and light rashes all over the body. The third type is the endemic typhus; this is passed on to humans through fleas or parasites. This is the same as epidemic typhus, where the flea defecates and through scratching the wounds, the feces are being transferred into the wounds. This form of typhus is most common in warm coastal regions, such as California and Texas in the United States. It typically causes a fever that lasts for about twelve days and is accompanied by a headache and chills. In some cases, a light rash may also develop. The fourth kind is the scrub typhus which is carried by chiggers or mites. These insects enable to deposit bacteria in the human skin. This type of typhus is widespread in Southeast Asia and Japan, particularly during the wet season. This is one of the most common causes of illness for people visiting these regions. (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-typhus.htm)
In this regards, the primary symptoms include headache, fever, muscle pains and aches, abdominal pain, cough, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Other patients may even develop flat or bumpy rashes with spots on the body. Furthermore, another study showed that typhus has always been associated with war. Typhus truly is a disease of humans and lice. Humans become infected by rubbing or scratching the lice feces into their skin or into their mucous membranes. It is an interesting disease because even though lice imbibe human blood, the parasite is not transmitted to humans during this process. Most of the other diseases carried by insects are transmitted through the bite. Moreover, the conditions of war result to typhus to become prevalent because of poverty, crowding, mass migrations, inadequate housing and malnutrition. Many people have wrong notions about “typhus”, it is more often equate with typhoid or typhoid fever. By all means, this is a wrong idea by many. Although, both have the same symptom of high fever; but the causes, transmission and pathology of these diseases are quite different; for typhoid is caused by Salmonella.
(http://www.medicinenet.com/typhus/page2.htm)
According to medical research made, NSAID medications commonly used to control pain and fever in both adults and children. Although they differ largely in dosage, to treat typhus are acetaminophen which reduces fever and pain. However, taking this drug is not recommended if a patient is alcoholic, has a liver disease or an allergy to the drug. On the other side, aspirin decreases the pain, fever as well as the inflammation. It is also nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID). Similarly, taking Ibuprofen, Ketoprofen and Naproxen will result the same effect to the patients. In this relation, taking extra precautions is necessary if the patient is pregnant or breastfeeding has allergies, asthma, peptic ulcer disease, stomach ulcers, esophageal ulcers and bleeding problems. It is best to consult a physician before taking these medicines for proper medical treatment and management. Above all, people must be aware of the warning signs of typhus such as worsening fever, rashes, both legs are swelling, both arms are swelling, facial swelling, chest pain, having breathing difficulty, fainting, seizures and confusions.
(http://www.freemd.com/typhus/home-care-pain-and-fever-children.htm)
References:
(http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-typhus.htm)
(http://www.medicinenet.com/typhus/page2.htm)
(http://www.freemd.com/typhus/home-care-pain-and-fever-children.htm)
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