Doctor: Beware of Typhoid Amid Weather Changes During the Dry Season
The most dangerous complication is sepsis, a life-threatening condition in which a bacterial infection spreads widely through the bloodstream.
Tangerang (ANTARA) - Internal medicine specialist at RS Sari Asih Bintaro, Yoppi Kencana, has said that changes in the weather are often followed by an increased risk of infectious diseases, such as typhoid fever, which attacks the digestive tract as a result of declining environmental sanitation and food hygiene.
He explained that the bacteria that cause typhoid enter the body through contaminated food or drink. After passing through the stomach, the bacteria multiply and attack the small intestine.
“The small intestine is a vital organ for nutrient absorption. When the Salmonella typhi bacterium infects the intestinal wall, severe inflammation arises that disrupts digestion and triggers an immune response in the form of high fever and extreme weakness,” Yoppi Kencana said in a statement in Tangerang, Banten, on Monday.
According to him, many people still regard typhoid as a mild illness caused simply by a lack of rest. In fact, if treatment is delayed or ignored, the bacterial infection can trigger fatal complications in the digestive organs.
This is because untreated inflammation can erode the lining of the small intestinal wall. Several serious complications may arise, such as gastrointestinal bleeding and intestinal perforation — a leak or tear in the intestinal wall requiring emergency surgery.
“The most dangerous complication is sepsis, a life-threatening condition in which the bacterial infection spreads widely through the entire bloodstream,” he said.
He urged members of the public to go immediately to a healthcare facility if they experience a persistent high fever that does not respond to fever-reducing medication, continuous vomiting to the point that no food or fluids can be kept down, severe abdominal pain, heavy dehydration, or feelings of confusion, disorientation or reduced consciousness.
“When someone develops a fever with a body temperature rising gradually, accompanied by digestive problems and weakness, that is a sign they need immediate medical attention,” he emphasised.
Meanwhile, preventive steps the public can take to avoid typhoid include regular typhoid vaccination every three years, and washing hands with soap under running water for at least 20 seconds before eating and after using the toilet.
Make sure water is boiled before drinking and consume properly cooked food prepared hygienically. Maintain regular eating habits, drink at least two litres of fluid a day, manage stress, and avoid holding in the urge to defecate.
“A healthy lifestyle outwardly stems from self-awareness to live healthily. Given the current weather conditions, we need to educate one another for the sake of collective health,” he said.