What is typhoid fever?

A highly infectious disease, typhoid fever has severe symptoms, including severe pain in the digestive system during the second phase of the illness. Typhoid fever is a serious disease which can be life-threatening.  Antibiotics, however are an effective treatment for typhoid, even though the disease can last several weeks, and convalescence can take even longer.  Typhoid is transmitted from one person to another via contaminated food or drinking water, and is most common in developing countries.  Likelihood of the disease spreading increases in areas with poor sanitation and bad hygiene practices, and it is no longer common in Europe.

What causes holiday typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever?

Caused by an infection with Salmonella typhic, typhoid fever is found in humans and can cause serious illness and death.  Bacterium passing down to the bowel penetrates the intestine lining to the tissue below.  If the immune system fails to stop the infection at this point the bacterium will multiply and spread to the bloodstream.  Fever will then follow.  The bacterium can then spread to the bone marrow, the liver and the bile ducts.  During the second phase of the disease, the immune tissue is penetrated of the small intestine and serious symptoms begin. 

How does holiday illness typhoid fever spread?

As salmonella typhic can only affect humans, the infection is always spread from human to human.  A carrier of bacterium can pass on the illness through water and foods. Foods not properly refrigerated at correct temperatures can create major hygiene problems, and create an environment where bacteria will multiply at speed.

 
Where can holiday typhoid fever occur?

Typhoid fever is related solely to hygiene and sanitary conditions, as opposed to climate. Generally, the disease is found in large parts of Asia, Africa, Central and South America, where sanitary conditions may not be up to the standard of those in Europe.  Typhoid epidemics are not unheard of, and up to 16 million cases a year are reported, resulting in 600,000 deaths. Many cases of the disease are contracted in Asia.

What are the symptoms of the Typhoid fever on holiday and can I claim compensation for illness?

Typhoid fever incubation period is 10 to 20 days, and can depend how large the dose of bacteria is that has been ingested. If the disease is mild, the bacteria will be eliminated early on only minor symptoms will be experienced.

•         During the first phase of the disease, the sufferer´s temperature rises gradually to 40ºC and they are likely to suffer sweating, loss of appetite, coughing and headaches.  Children are likely to suffer vomiting and diarrhoea and the first phase is likely to last a week.  Patients will become increasingly listless and may have be dizzy and unstable.

•         The second phase occurs in the second and third week of the disease when the temperature remains dangerously high and the pulse becomes weak and quick.  The third week will see severe diarrhoea replace constipation, and the faeces may also contain blood.  Only in the fourth or fifth week, when the proper medication is being taken, will the fever drop and the general condition of the sufferer improve.

If you have been unfortunate enough to suffer typhoid fever in Asia, South America or Africa whilst on a holiday package tour or holiday cruise ship, after seeking urgent medical help, you should contact a personal injury solicitor on your return to the UK.  You can claim compensation for holiday illness, including typhoid fever if your illness was caused by someone else, or by negligent hygiene practices in your holiday hotel or cruise ship.  Tour operators have a responsibility to keep you safe and to look after your wellbeing on holiday.  If you feel this trust has been breached, and you have contracted typhoid fever, you can claim holiday illness compensation from a personal injury solicitor who will give you a free assessment of your holiday illness claim and who works on a no win no fee basis.
Complications after suffering typhoid fever on holiday abroad

If typhoid fever goes untreated, heavy bleeding from the intestine may occur. 

The outlook after suffering holiday typhoid fever

If holiday typhoid fever is treated in good time with antibiotics, the patient can normally be discharged from hospital, when there are no complications, when their condition is stable. After discharge, patients must maintain good hygiene in the home, as bacteria can continue to be excreted for many more weeks.  If the sufferer is a chef, or works in any job handling food, they must stay off work until at least two stool samples prove to be clear of the disease.

What can you do to avoid typhoid fever?

•         Several forms of vaccine protect against Salmonella typhi. Most travel clinics prefer to inject Typherix or Typhim Vi instead of using Vivotif, which is the oral form of the medicine. The injectable vaccine is easier to administer since it only requires one dose and has less side effects. The injection should be administered at least two weeks prior to travel, and is effective for three years.

•         The route of infection depend on hygiene conditions and it is vitally important that general kitchen hygiene standards be maintained to prevent infection.
How is holiday typhoid fever treated?

Treatment of typhoid fever requires admission to hospital and loss of fluid and salt is treated with the administration of fluids as appropriate. The bacterium is controlled with antibiotics, and in very rare cases steroid medicines are also included in the treatment.

Prevention of typhoid fever on holiday

Sufferers of typhoid fever have to be treated in hospital in isolation, and proper hand hygiene is the most important way of preventing a further spread of the disease in hospital. Stool samples may also be taken from members of the patient´s family to identify any further carriers who are showing no symptoms.

Typhoid fever is a serious illness.  If you have suffered symptoms of typhoid fever after being subjected to poor sanitation or bad hygiene practices in your holiday package hotel or on board a holiday cruise ship, you can claim compensation in the UK.  Contact a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible when you return, and Farnworth Rose Personal Injury Solicitors will give you a free claim assessment, plus cash up front if we accept your claim.  Working on a no win no fee basis, meaning no cost and no risk to you, 100% of the compensation also goes to you.  We are specialists in claiming holiday illness and accident compensation, and we will guide you through the compensation claims process from start to finish.  Call us free for a friendly chat and sound legal advice without the jargon on 080001 54321 or fill in the online claim form.

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