Paratyphoid Fever Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention

Paratyphoid fever is a disease having an incubation period of 6-12 days. It is similar to, but much milder than the real typhoid. Onset is more abrupt, recovery is quicker and toxaemia much is less severe. In children the disease often resembles an acute gastro-enteritis', or 'food poisoning'. For this reason, in the countries with an inadequate Public Health Laboratory, the diagnosis is often missed and many cases go unreported.

Paratyphoid Fever Cause

A bacterium called Salmonella paratyphi. There are three kinds of this bacteria called Salmonella paratyphi A; Salmonella paratyphi B; and C respectively.

Disease Source

Just as the real typhoid the source is bacteria in patient's faeces by which it can contaminate ground water or the unsecure use of carriers' household materials.

However, as more germs are required to cause the paratyphoid illness than the real typhoid, the convalescent symptomless carriers are more often important, especially when He or She is engaged in preparation or distribution.

Route. In paratyphoid there is more emphasis on contaminated food than on contaminated water–If the cooker is a paratyphoid carrier. The disease is very contagious, so it can spread very easily in food more than water.

Paratyphoid Fever Prevention

The emphasis being on good water and food hygiene, and adequate disposal of excreta is most important.

The vaccine usually used to protect typhoid also contains vaccine against paratyphoid A and B, the two commonest kinds, and this is the reason why it is called TAB vaccine.