Cholera and typhoid

Aadesh and his mum are preparing for a trip to a tropical country. We need to get the typhoid vaccination before we leave. Do we really need to? You know I don’t like needles... Is typhoid really that bad?

Typhoid fever is a disease caused by the Salmonella typhi bacteria. The disease is spread through contaminated water or food and sometimes from person to person if, for example, they shared cutlery or a cup. Water becomes contaminated with bacteria when it comes into contact with urine or faeces of people who already have typhoid. When that water is used to water crops or wash foods that are eaten raw, it contaminates the food too. If people drink contaminated water or eat contaminated food, the bacteria will enter their bodies.

Bacteria pass through the stomach and enter the intestines. There, they enter different types of intestinal cells, eventually enter the bloodstream, spreading to different organs like the liver and the spleen. This can cause high fever, headache, weakness, abdominal pain and a rash, which are all common signs, or symptoms of typhoid fever. Not all people who become infected with the bacteria develop the symptoms, but they can still spread the disease. If the person is not treated and given antibiotics, the disease might get worse and can be life-threatening.

Cholera is a disease, quite similar to typhoid. It’s also caused by bacteria, but a different type: Vibrio cholerae. Just like typhoid it’s spread through contaminated water and food. It then travels through the stomach and starts multiplying fast when it reaches the small intestine. This causes severe diarrhoea and vomiting, the main symptoms of cholera.

The vomiting and diarrhoea lead to dehydration of the body, causing painful cramps in legs, arms, abdomen and the back. Not all people who become infected with the bacteria develop the disease, and of those who do, most will only have mild symptoms. These people usually get better by just drinking rehydration solution. But some people with cholera may develop symptoms that can be life-threatening if not treated with rehydration solution, antibiotics and injections of liquids. It is possible to get vaccinated against cholera as well, but it’s usually only given to people living in affected areas, or people travelling there for long periods of time.

So Aadesh and his mum don’t need to get this vaccine. Vaccinations are just one of the possible protections against typhoid and cholera. Most important is to eat and drink, clean and safe food and water. Properly treating and disposing of sewage is really important. If it’s not taken care of, bacteria from faeces and urine contaminate water and food and the diseases continue to spread.

Personal hygiene is important too, for example washing hands with clean water especially before handling food. Boiling drinking water can also kill bacteria that may be present and can make it safer. But despite having many options, putting them into effect can be difficult. Countries most affected by these two diseases might not have enough money to install proper sewage treatment and water cleaning systems. Distributing vaccines and medications might be difficult too.

This is why cholera and typhoid are still common in some parts of the world, where they affect millions of people. Ugh, I see, well I guess we should get vaccinated, and we really need to make sure to only drink clean water!