Paratyphoid

Definition

Paratyphoid fever is an infectious disease caused by a certain type of Salmonella bacteria. It is mainly caused by disorders of the digestive tract with severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Slight fever and rashes also occur rarely.

The diagnosis is made by detecting the pathogen in blood and stool samples. Treatment consists of the administration of antibiotics that combat the salmonella. Paratyphoid fever is similar to typhoid fever, but is much less frequent and usually milder.

I recognize paratyphoid by these symptoms

Paratyphoid disease shows its first signs 1-10 days after infection with the pathogens. At first, there is a slight fever, as well as pain in the head and joints. Often the affected persons also have a pronounced feeling of exhaustion and are tired.

After these first, slight signs, the stronger symptoms appear about 2 days later. The digestive tract is particularly affected. Diarrhea typically occurs.

In addition there is the feeling of nausea, which is occasionally accompanied by vomiting. Those affected often have pain in the abdominal area. During the course of the disease, the fever rises to a maximum of 39°C, rarely the body temperature is higher.

The symptoms subside after some time. The disease usually lasts between 4 and 10 days. Compared to the more common and well-known typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever is significantly milder. The symptoms are similar, but they are rarely severe. The occurrence of complications is largely unknown, but cannot be ruled out with a weakened immune system.

What is the difference to typhoid fever?

Paratyphoid fever, like typhoid fever, is transmitted by the Salmonella bacteria. Here, however, the subspecies of Salmonella differ depending on the disease. Furthermore, the many symptoms of paratyphoid fever are usually less pronounced. The rash and the typhoid tongue, which occur more frequently in typhoid fever, do not or hardly occur in the clinical picture of paratyphoid fever. Only the diarrhea is usually more pronounced in paratyphoid fever.