What is it?
Typhoid (typhoid fever) is a contagious intestinal disease caused by a bacterium. This bacterium is found in the faeces, urine and blood of infected people. The disease occurs mainly in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and particularly in countries where drinking water and waste water are not properly separated. In the Netherlands the disease is rare. Typhoid can make you very ill and can be fatal.
Symptoms may include:
- a fever (that rises gradually)
- headache
- abdominal pain
- reduced appetite
- constipation (initially), sometimes followed by diarrhoea
- drowsiness (later on)
- red spots on the skin of the abdomen (later on)
How do you catch it?
Anyone can contract typhoid. You are mainly at risk if you visit areas that are not clean and where drinking water and waste water are not properly separated. You are at additional risk if you take medication to reduce stomach acid or if you have a chronic intestinal disease. You can pick up the bacterium through contaminated food and drink. The bacterium can also enter your mouth if you touch surfaces or objects that an infected person has previously touched, so that the bacterium then reaches your mouth via your hands. As long as the bacterium is present in a sick person's faeces, others can become infected, even after the symptoms have cleared up. A person can infect others 2 to 4 weeks after the onset of symptoms (this may also be longer). The time between becoming infected and falling ill is about 8 to 14 days.
How do you prevent it?
You can reduce the risk of infection with the bacterium that causes typhoid by taking very strict hygiene measures, particularly with regard to hands, water, food and using the toilet.
Being vaccinated against typhoid also reduces your risk of infection. This vaccination offers protection for a maximum of 3 years. Vaccination does not provide 100% protection. You should receive the typhoid vaccination at least two weeks before you arrive at your travel destination.
In addition to the conditions at your destination, your personal situation and travel plans are variables that have a decisive influence on the preparations you may wish, or be required, to make before you travel. At Amsterdam Travel Clinic you can obtain expert travel medicine advice and the vaccination mentioned above. We keep this vaccination in stock.
The above description is only a general, brief and simplified account and is provided for information purposes only. No rights may be derived from it. Personal advice is provided solely during a consultation with the specially trained Certified Travel Medicine Physician or Travel Medicine Assistant.