What Happens When People Have Typhus?

Symptoms 

The symptoms of typhus include fever, headache, chills, and general aches that are followed by a rash. The rash spreads to most of the body but usually does not affect the face, palms of the hands, or soles of the feet. In murine typhus, the symptoms are similar but milder. In epidemic and scrub typhus, the fever may rise as high as 104 гo 105 degrees Fahrenheit and stay high for about two weeks. The headache is intense. 

In severe cases of typhus, blood pressure may drop dangerously. Severe illness also may lead to confusion, seizures, coma*, or even death. The disease's name comes from the Greek word "typhos," meaning smoke, a cloud, or a stupor arising from a fever.

Diagnosis and Treatment 

Blood tests are used to show if people are infected with typhus rickettsiae. People with typhus who are treated with antibiotics generally recover. If treatment is begun early, they usually get better quickly. If treatment is delayed, however, the improvement usually is slower, and the fever lasts longer. If left untreated, typhus can damage organs, lead to coma, and even to death.

Prevention 

Prevention of typhus is based on avoiding the unsanitary conditions in which it spreads. It is always wise to avoid contact with animals such as rats and mice that may carry disease. Travelers to areas where typhus is common should be especially cautious. To prevent the spread of typhus, body lice must be destroyed by removing them from people with the disease and by boiling or steaming the clothes of infected individuals.

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