Prognosis of typhoid fever with appropriate and early treatment is good, but becomes poor if the patient develops complications. In most patients symptoms improve in 2 to 4 weeks with treatment. If the infection is not completely cured with treatment symptoms may return.
Possible Complications of Typhoid Fever
Intestinal haemorrhage (severe GI bleeding, intestinal bleeding or perforation): This is a common a serious complication of typhoid fever which may develop in the third week of illness. About 5 percent of people with typhoid fever can develop intestinal bleeding or perforation.
Some other less common Complications
- Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle).
- Pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs).
- Pancreatitis that is inflammation of the pancreas.
- Infection of Kidney or bladder.
- Osteomyelitis (that is infections of the spine).
- Meningitis (infection and inflammation of the membranes and fluid around the brain and spinal cord).
- Delirium, hallucinations and paranoid psychosis.
Appropriate and early treatment can effectively cure the infection and nearly all people in industrialised countries recover from typhoid. But if the infection is not treated some people may not survive complications of the disease. Good general hygiene is necessary at home as the patient may continue to excrete the bacteria for several more weeks.
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