typhoid fever

a severe infectious disease of the digestive system that is caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi and causes symptoms, including a rise in TEMPERATURE , a rash on the abdomen and chest, headache and nosebleeds. The temperature rise occurs in a characteristic fashion known as a step-ladder temperature. IN severe cases there may be ulceration of the intestinal wall, leading to PERITONITIS if an ULCER bursts or HAEMORRHAGE from the bowels and INFLAMMATION of the LUNGS , SPLEEN and BONES . In these cases the disease can prove to be fatal. The infection is acquired through ingesting contaminated food or water, so preventative measures involving high standards of hygiene and sanitation are important. DRUG treatment is by means of ANTIBIOTICS such as chloramphenicol and AMPICILLIN , Inoculation with TAB VACCINE confers temporary IMMUNITY .