Encomium
- Doctors urge Nigerians to keep a clean environment
It is no longer news that typhoid is a common sickness that Nigerians are battling. It flows from a killer bacteria known as Bacillius Salmonelta Typhii. More outrageous is the number of persons that die from it every year in Nigeria.
Some believe typhoid is contacted through contaminated food, some others believe it is caused by infected water. The fever is a deadly ailment that ravages the entire body of its victim. It is a death sentence if not treated and often times results in brain infection
Nigeria ranks third globally among countries without access to safe and potable water according to United Nations Children Education Funds (UNICEF), resulting in water-borne illnesses due to water related diseases including typhoid fever.
ENCOMIUM Weekly spoke to some medical experts about this disease…
MOSES BANKOLE, Gynecologist
Many Nigerians take typhoid fever for granted because they don’t really know the danger it portends. According to him, “Typhoid fever is a severe infection caused by bacteria called Salmonella commonly known as Salmonella poisoning or food poisoning. It causes persistent high fever. These bacteria can be passed from stool and urine of infected patients.
“Typhoid is generally passed from person to person through poor hygiene, such as no hand washing after using the toilet. At the advance stage, typhoid can affect a person’s liver and cause spleen enlargement and if not quickly treated, can rupture or burst. If treatment is not carried out fast, the patient may die. The prevention of typhoid fever is far better than the cure. Nigerians should learn to keep hygienic environment.”
LEYE SHODIPO, medical practitioner
For Nigeria to reduce cases of typhoid, we must start taking care of our environment. Washing of hands is very important in preventing typhoid. Water must be boiled to avoid contamination because it is the fastest means of transmission. Oral transmission of typhoid fever comes through food, beverages, fruits and water handled by someone who sheds the bacteria through stool or urine. Only a clean environment and hygiene can prevent the spread of typhoid fever.
When the bacteria enters the body, it multiplies and spreads from the intestines into the blood stream and the person will begin to experience signs of malaria, headache, constipation in adults and diarrhea in children, loss of appetite, exhaustion, general weakness, dizziness and confusion, cough, stomach pain and sore throat. If it is treated early with antibiotics, the symptoms can reduce after some days. If left untreated, it can continue to worsen for several weeks and the person might die after a while.
- SOEWU OLEWAFEMI
