Is typhus in adults dangerous, when to be hospitalized?

Typhus is an acute infection caused by a virus characterized by a red rash on the skin and a high fever. This is a common disease in children, but when there are favorable conditions, the virus is also very easy to attack and cause disease in adults.

The virus that causes typhus is called Human herpes 6 and 7. When the virus enters the body, the immune system is weak because it is not able to antagonize the pathogen. In addition, typhus in adults that lasts for a long time and does not go away can also be caused by respiratory infections that cause rubella, measles, …

1. Manifestations of typhus fever in adults

Typhus is when an infected person has an elevated body temperature, signs of fatigue, fever, and is accompanied by a pink or red rash. For adults with low resistance, when exposed to pathogens, the risk of disease is very high.

Typhus in adults usually incubates 1-2 weeks before, then causes sudden symptoms that make the disease last for a long time.

Common typical symptoms include:

– High fever: The fever usually comes on suddenly and causes the body temperature to rise above 39 degrees Celsius. In addition, the patient may also experience the following symptoms: runny nose, cough, conjunctivitis, pain head,…

– The next manifestation is often seen in the patient is red skin rash, on the skin of people with typhus will have red rashes. Initially, the rash is pale pink, flat or slightly raised. As time goes on, the rash turns red and becomes more prominent on the skin’s surface.

The rash is not cyclical, usually all over the body. If mild, the rashes last only a few hours to a day, but in more severe cases they can last for several days.

-Patients with swollen lymph nodes, swollen lymph nodes and swelling in the jaw and neck are more likely to occur with typhus in adults because the immune system reacts to the pathogen.

In addition to the above symptoms, people with typhus fever may also have mild diarrhea, loss of appetite, fatigue, earache, sore throat, cough, etc. If the high fever persists, the patient may even faint. , convulsions,…

2. Complications from typhus in adults

Most mild cases of typhus in adults clear up within a few days and cause no complications. However, some severe cases can cause dangerous complications such as prolonged high fever, even in cases of fever above 40 degrees Celsius, unresponsive to antipyretic drugs can cause convulsions. Difficulty breathing, rapid breathing. Some patients are tired, the rash spreads to many areas of the body, lethargy or deep coma. Or encephalitis, pneumonia.

Signs of a red, red rash on the skin are a sign of typhus

3. Treatment of typhus in adults

Currently, the treatment measures for typhus in adults are mainly drugs aimed at symptomatic therapy. Commonly used medications include: Antipyretics – Paracetamol to reduce fever and relieve mild pain. If the cough persists, the throat becomes inflamed and painful. If necessary, the doctor will consider the appointment of drugs to help soothe the mucous membranes and dilute sputum. Anti-inflammatory drugs are used in cases of pain caused by typhus. Depending on the specific case, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate medication.

The use of drugs should only be done with the consent of the doctor and need to strictly adhere to the dosage and duration of treatment.

4. Signs needing hospitalization

Usually, typhus in adults can be treated at home. However, if the patient has the following dangerous warning symptoms, the family should take the patient to the hospital for treatment:

The patient is very tired, has a high fever (maybe up to 40 degrees Celsius) for a long time without improvement. Or the patient cannot eat or drink, has difficulty eating or has symptoms of vomiting. Difficulty breathing or sometimes choking. The patient has convulsions or blood in the toilet, …

5. How to take care of sick people at home

In addition to taking the medicine prescribed by the doctor, the patient also needs to take some active care measures at home, such as: Resting during typhus fever helps to avoid infecting those around you. stabilize the body and limit the progression of infection.

Adding water if a high fever often causes the body to lose a lot of water, which leads to an electrolyte imbalance, the body is prone to aches and pains. Therefore, during typhus fever, the patient needs to supplement with 2-2.5 liters of water/day.

Increase fruits and vegetables because they contain many vitamins and minerals that help improve the immune system thereby inhibiting the virus that causes typhus. Not only that, the ingredients in it also support electrolyte balance and reduce fatigue for the body.

Clean the body with warm water during typhus to reduce the chills caused by the fever.

Due to a high fever, the body temperature of a person with typhus is usually quite high. Choosing loose-fitting clothes with good sweat-wicking materials is considered a good thing to do to help reduce body temperature and keep the body ventilated.

Summary: Compared to children, adults have a better immune system and resistance, and the ability to take care and protect themselves is also higher. However, this disease should not be subjective because prolonged high fever can be life-threatening. And when using fever-reducing drugs or fever-reducing methods but the condition does not improve, or the fever rises to 40 degrees Celsius, it is necessary to take the patient to the nearest medical facility so that the doctors can treatment.