Typhoid fever or enteric fever is a common condition which causes a very high fever and abdominal pain as well. The illness is caused by the Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi bacteria. The disease is more prevalent in developing countries and most cases in the United States are picked up by vacationers, whilst travelling abroad. The disease is transmitted through the ingestion of food or fluids that have been contaminated with feces of an infected individual.
Typhoid fever is characterized by a very high fever, profuse persipiration, gastroenteritis, and non-bloody diarrhea. In some cases there may also be an appearance of skin rash. Typically and when untreated a typhoid fever infection will follow four specific stages, with each one lasting a week. Prompt treatment reduces the risk of fatalities to around one percent, and most antibiotics that are prescribed for typhoid fever are quire effective. If left untreated or neglected however, the illness follows its complete duration of a month or three weeks, and it can even be fatal.
Since you haven't mentioned the duration of your illness and the symptoms, I can't give you an exact diet plan, but instead I shall give you some guidelines. Rice or any other solid foods are not recommended during the initial stages as they will only add to the stress on your digestive system.
The main objectives of a diet for typhoid fever are:
- Maintenance of adequate nutrition
- Maintenance of water and electrolyte balance
- Supply enough proteins
Since the origin of the fever is intestinal it would be wise to restrict your dietary intake at first to fruit juices. This should be done until a normal temperature is restored. Some amount of skimmed milk may also be consumed, but solids should be avoided completely. Constipation is another cause for worry, and if you do experience difficulty in passing stools a glycerine suppository can remedy the condition. You can follow this liquid diet for a few days, but gradually introduce fruits like bananas, cantaloupes, water melons, grapes, peaches, and apricots.
Once the fever has gone you can follow an all fruit diet, which can then be followed by the addition of boiled vegetables and unrefined foods such as unpolished rice and whole meal bread. Keep in mind that for the duration of the illness a low fiber diet is recommended to minimize any irritation to your digestive tract (The above mentioned fruits are low in fiber). Irritants and harsh foods should also be avoided completely. In the context of nutritional value protein intake is vital, and milk and egg can constitute the main dietary sources.
answered by S D