Answers
Typhoid: symptoms, tests, diet and treatment
Short answer
Typhoid is an infection spread through contaminated food and water. It causes fever that rises over several days, headache, belly pain, weakness and loose motions or constipation. A blood culture, not the Widal test, is the reliable test. It needs a full course of the right antibiotic, prescribed by a doctor. A vaccine is available.
Symptoms
- Fever that climbs step by step over a few days, often high by the end of the first week
- Headache, body ache and severe tiredness
- Belly pain, loss of appetite, constipation or loose motions
- Sometimes a cough or confusion in severe illness
Tests
A blood culture taken before antibiotics are started is the best test, especially in the first week. The Widal test often gives false positive or false negative results in India and should not be used alone to diagnose or rule out typhoid. Blood counts and liver tests support the diagnosis.
Treatment and complications
In the second or third week, untreated typhoid can cause bleeding from the intestine or a hole in the bowel (perforation). Severe belly pain, black stools or a swollen belly need emergency care.
- Antibiotics chosen by your doctor, as resistance to older antibiotics is common; complete the full course
- Rest, fluids, and paracetamol for fever as advised
- Avoid self-medicating with antibiotics left over from earlier illnesses
Prevention
- Drink boiled or filtered water, and avoid ice and cut fruit from outside
- Wash hands before eating and after the toilet
- The typhoid conjugate vaccine protects children and adults; ask your doctor, especially before travel
Diet during typhoid
Eat more
- Soft, energy-rich food: khichdi, dalia, curd rice, idli, banana, milk if tolerated
- Protein: dal, eggs, paneer, curd
- Plenty of fluids: water, ORS, coconut water, soups
Cut down
- Fried and very spicy food while the fever is high
- Raw salads and cut fruit from outside
- Starving or a 'liquid-only' diet, which slows recovery
Good to know
- Eat small, frequent meals; the body needs extra energy during fever.
- Old advice to avoid all solid food in typhoid is not correct.
Common questions
My Widal test is positive. Do I have typhoid?
Not necessarily. The Widal test is often positive in people without typhoid in India. Your doctor decides based on symptoms and, ideally, a blood culture.
How long does typhoid take to settle?
With the right antibiotic, fever usually settles within 3 to 7 days. Weakness can last a few weeks.
Can typhoid come back?
It can relapse, especially if the course is incomplete. A small number become carriers. Finish the course and see your doctor if fever returns.