My doctor gave me meds for Typhoid that I only need to take if I get symptoms during my trip. My question: is Typhoid very rare? Also, how would the symptons differ from Malaria? I think both would give upset stomach, fever, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by paul55:
My doctor gave me meds for Typhoid that I only need to take if I get symptoms during my trip. My question: is Typhoid very rare? Also, how would the symptons differ from Malaria? I think both would give upset stomach, fever, etc.

I can't help you except to say that I took the three-dose vaccine course before leaving last year. I was told that in Nambia, where I was hunting, it was rare.

I caught Typhoid in 1985 whils catching crocodiles (they are the carriers for the disease in Africa). You have to work pretty hard to catch it or drink water with a dead, infected animal in- rare- I am the only Parks officer I know of who has caught a dose since 1980, although we did loose one scout on the same croc project to a combination of typhoid and malaria.

NB- If it is interesting and exotic- I generally catch it!

Depends where you are,
I have had shots for it, as I spend a lot of time in rivers and humid environments all over the place, however, I have yet to meet anyone who has got it except one. My employer in Ecuador had it years ago and said it was gone in three very ill and uncomfortable weeks.

I have heard that the vaccinations are also only 50% effective at preventing it? perhaps one of the Docs could jump in here?

If you are anywhere in Southern Africa, staying in commercial outfits, I wouldn't even give it a second thought, I have bever heard it mentioned in SA, Nam, Bots, etc.

Basically, as a wealthy person with access to medical care, you are less subject to serious effects from illness like this IMO. Its like Cholera...a serious disease but if you were shitting yourslef to death you would seek help as you can afford to, so you are not generally in the same category as people who die from it, who tend to be very poor or perhaps only seek traditional medicine (which may or may not be effective, I don;t know)

Paul55,

With typhoid, you can sometimes feel better for short peroids of time, and then get worse again. It's best to be tested just in case as the symptoms are a bit diffuse, and thus not easy to self diagnose. Both my wife and I caught typhoid with driving thru africa, most likely in Mozambique, and it was a very dibilitating disease. We eventually felt very weak. Especially my wife, who had a more serious case than I. We don't know how long we went with it, but probably about a month, maybe a bit longer. It was when we finally were able to get to a clinic that was reasonably equiped in Swaziland that we found out what the problem was.

And we were both vaccinated against it from before, so it just goes to show that no vaccine is 100% sure. I've been told it's around 80% sure for typhoid.

As I mentioned, the symptoms can be a bit diffuse. Generally, a person with typhoid will have a fever up 39° to 40° celcius. But it may go away and then return after a few days. They may also feel weak, or have stomach pains, headache, or loss of appetite. In some cases, patients have a rash of flat, rose-colored spots. Or in some cases have almost none of these symptoms except feeling weak. The only way to know for sure if an illness is typhoid fever is to have samples of stool or blood tested. Since typoid can be fatal if left untreated, it's best to be on the safe side.

The vaccine for typhoid may make you ill for a time and does not confer lifetime immunity.

Typhoid is manifested by vomiting, diarrhea and high fever. This is similar to other illness but in typhoid you can also get "rose spots" on the abdomen that blanch with pressure.

When I was a kid, my mother almost died of typhoid. The only source we could think of, was a piece of cocconut from a Mexican street vendor she ate.

I wouldn't get vaccinated against typhoid but if eating raw fruits and vegetables I would be sure the preparer exercised good hygiene.

For what it's worth, I have used two different travel clinics with specialists in international medicine/disease for two trips to Africa - RSA and Tanzania. In both cases, I was given the typhoid vaccination. The trips were 5 years apart.

Looks like pretty good coverage on the subject at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/typhoidfever...Getting%20vaccinated

quote:

Originally posted by kayaker:
Depends where you are,
I have had shots for it, as I spend a lot of time in rivers and humid environments all over the place, however, I have yet to meet anyone who has got it except one. My employer in Ecuador had it years ago and said it was gone in three very ill and uncomfortable weeks.

I don't know if there is a big risk of contracting typhoid fever in any part of Africa,but I can tell you one thing from personal experience, you don't want it! I have always had Typhoid fever shots for any trip to Africa, Asia, or or any tropical climate!

I contracted TF at the age of 13, and had zero symtoms till I passed out, coming out of the sat afternoon cowboy movie, at the local theater. I don't remember the next 10 days, and once awake, I was sick as hell for a month, and weak for the whole summer of 1950. I cought it from drinking from a clear spring in swamp water. These springs would be a circle of very clear water out in the middle of the dark swamp. We thought since it was clear, it was safe. WE WERE MISTAKEN! I say take the shots and don't take the chance!

Paul,

I just got the typhoid vaccine...

Mike

Lots of good info and responses: thanks! We are going to South Africa with an outfitter, so I don't expect we'll have a problem. Like I said, the doctor gave us meds 'just in case'. He said if we have any symptons, to take the meds. Better safe than sorry!

Typhoid, is not something that you would want to get ever.
I came down with it in the big winter of 1982 in Ecuador. That year it rained for 1 year straight, it never stoped for more that 2-3 days. All the roads and bridges were lost and the country was a mess.
Its found in dirty water or food, I was wading in dirty water up to my belt for a month.
I was in bed for 6 weeks, I was to weak to eat or even get out of bed. I went from 225 lbs to 145 in 6 weeks it took 2 years more to recover.

The symptoms are high fervor and loss of appetite, you also become very very weak. The standard treatment of Typhoid is large amounts of Chloramphenicol in my case 1000mg injections into my arm for 10 days.

If I was to travel into a area where there is Typhoid then you should follow the standard rules.
1 Do not eat or drink any food or water in a public area. Stay away from the small hole in the wall kitchen that the locals eat in. I know that its the best fried, baked, or roasted what ever in the country, but do not eat there. Your not rude if you do not eat, your smart.
2 Drink only water that has been boiled, or if possible bottled water or soft drinks.
3 If you come down with something then get to doctor ASAP.(Try to use a local doctor, as they are use to seeing these types of disease)
Do not let the fear of a tropical disease stop you from enjoying the trip. You should remember that what you see and learn on the trip for the most part will be worth the risk.

Safe trip,

91Q45