Key points about typhoid fever
- typhoid fever is a disease caused by the bacteria Salmonella typhi
- most people with typhoid fever in Aotearoa New Zealand have caught the disease overseas, especially countries in the Pacific and South-East Asia
- tamariki (children) are more at risk of getting typhoid fever than adults
If you think your child has typhoid fever, see a health professional urgently.
What is typhoid fever?
Typhoid fever (typhoid) is a disease caused by the bacteria Salmonella typhi. Most people with typhoid fever in New Zealand have caught the disease while travelling overseas, especially countries in the Pacific.
Paratyphoid fever is a similar illness to typhoid fever. It is caused by Salmonella paratyphi.
How common is typhoid fever?
Typhoid fever is rare in New Zealand, with about 40 known cases a year. Tamariki are more at risk of getting typhoid fever.
How typhoid fever spreads
Typhoid bacteria is found in the poo of infected people. People catch typhoid fever if they come in to contact with this poo.
Eating or drinking contaminated food or water
Your child can get typhoid fever from drinking water or eating food that has been contaminated by the typhoid bacteria.
This can happen if food or drink is handled by someone with typhoid fever or who is a carrier of the bacteria.
Eating shellfish from beds that are contaminated with raw sewerage can cause typhoid fever.
Contact with infected poo
Typhoid fever easily passes from one person to another if people don't wash their hands properly.
You can get the bacteria from changing nappies of a baby with typhoid fever.
Carriers
Some people who have typhoid fever do not get sick but they can still carry the bacteria and make others sick.
Signs and symptoms of typhoid fever
An illustration showing the common symptoms of typhoid fever.
Source: KidsHealth
transcribeTranscript
The illustration shows a child standing in the centre wearing a shirt with the KH logo. Around the child are circles connected by dashed lines, showing symptoms of typhoid fever.
- At the top left, a close-up of the child’s face is labelled ‘Fever’.
- Above the head, another label reads ‘Confusion’.
- At the top right, a close-up shows the child with eyes closed and an expression of pain, labelled ‘Headache’.
- Below that, another image of the child’s face is labelled ‘Tiredness’.
- At the bottom right, an image shows a red ‘Rash mainly on the chest and tummy
- Next to that the label reads ‘Chills’.
- At the centre left, a close-up of the child’s stomach shows ‘Tummy pain’,
- Below that another circle is labelled ‘Constipation or diarrhoea’.
- The text beside the child’s upper body reads ‘Not feeling like eating’.
- At the bottom of the illustration is the title ‘Typhoid fever symptoms’.
At the bottom left is the KidsHealth logo with the website: kidshealth.org.nz.
Once your child is infected, it usually takes 1 to 3 weeks for symptoms to develop. It can take from 3 days to over 60 days to develop symptoms.
The illness starts slowly with fevers, chills (feeling cold and shivery). Your child could have a temperature of up to 39 to 40 degrees Celsius.
Other symptoms include:
- headache
- feeling sick
- not feeling like eating
- tiredness
- a rash made up of small pink spots on your child's chest and tummy
- tummy pain
- constipation (more common in adults)
- diarrhoea
- confusion, such as your child not knowing where they are or what's going on around them
If you think your child has typhoid fever, see a health professional urgently.
How serious is typhoid fever?
Typhoid fever is often severe and tamariki can die from the disease. Most tamariki and adults have to spend time in hospital.
Diagnosing typhoid fever
Tell your health professional if you have been overseas recently. If your health professional suspects typhoid fever, they will also ask your child to do a blood test and provide a poo sample. They may refer your child to the hospital.
Managing typhoid fever
Don't stop antibiotics when your child starts to feel well as they might get sick again.
The treatment for typhoid fever is antibiotics. Make sure your child takes all of their antibiotics. Don't stop when they start to feel well as they might get sick again.
If your child's symptoms are more mild, they can recover at home and they should feel better in a few days. If your child's symptoms get worse, see a health professional urgently.
If your child has severe symptoms, such as vomiting that doesn't stop, severe diarrhoea or a swollen tummy, your child needs to go to hospital.
If you don't seek help urgently and get treatment, your child could have serious complications or even die.
Possible complications of typhoid fever
Complications include:
- internal bleeding
- a hole in the bowel wall
- meningitis
- infection in other parts of the body
How to prevent typhoid fever from spreading
- make sure your child always washes and dries their hands thoroughly after going to the toilet
- give your child their own hand towel or paper towels and face cloth so they don't share with others
- put paper hand towels in a rubbish bag and put the bag straight in the rubbish
- if your baby has typhoid fever, clean and dry your hands well after changing their nappy
- wash hand towels regularly
- wash soiled clothing and linen separately in hot soapy water
- don't let your child touch or prepare food for other people
When your child can go back to school or daycare after typhoid fever
Your health professional will contact the public health unit if your child has typhoid fever. The public health unit will give you instructions about isolating and when your child can go back to daycare or school.
Some tamariki get sick again about a week after they finish their antibiotics. If your child starts to feel sick again, see a health professional as soon as possible.
Vaccinating against typhoid fever
If you are travelling to one of the countries where the rates of typhoid are high, talk to a health professional about vaccination for your child before you go. Typhoid vaccination is only for tamariki over 12 months and there will be a cost for this. Talk to your health professional for more information.
Check the latest information on outbreaks before you travel
Before your travel, visit the Safe Travel website. It provides information about the latest outbreaks as well as how to prepare before your travel.
The countries where the rates of typhoid are high are:
- Pacific Islands
- India, Pakistan and Bangladesh
- South-East Asian countries
- Central and South America
- the Caribbean
- African countries
- Middle Eastern countries
Protecting your child from infection while travelling to countries where there is typhoid fever
- do not drink unsafe water, including ice and drinks mixed with water
- do not eat from street stalls
- make sure hot food is well cooked and eaten while still hot
- do not eat uncooked food including fruit and vegetables (unless you can peel them yourself) and uncooked seafood
- do not eat and drink unpasteurised milk or dairy foods
- drink bottled water or boil drinking water if you're not sure it's safe
More information in Samoan
See information about typhoid fever in Samoan. The information is about typhoid fever in both adults and tamariki.
Visit the HealthEd website for information about typhoid fever in Samoan
Acknowledgements
Illustration by Dr Greta File. Property of KidsHealth.
