Typhoid alert up

Intermittent rains and floods have recently resulted in the rising incidence of typhoid fever which, when left untreated, could be fatal. Statistics show that the incidence of the disease begins to rise in July and peaks in November.

Typhoid fever is highly contagious and can often be determined by the amount of bacili ingested; a large amount can trigger the sickness even in individuals with the most robust physique.

The typhoid organism, known as Salmonella typhi, is a water- and food-borne pathogen which enters the body through the five major routes of passages: flies, fingers, food, feces and fomites.

The disease is the longest and most debilitating microbial disease characterized by "rose spot" eruptions of the skin, continuous fever and disorientation, cough, nosebleed, diarrhea, delirium and stupor.

Biomedis, a division of United Laboratories, is advising the public to take extreme measures of caution by having a patient treated with the proper medication.

One of the drugs of choice is Chloramphenicol which can provide prompt and maximum effectiveness in terminating the febrile toxic course of the disease.

Biomedis is marketing the drug under the brand Chloramol, which is one of 65 products whose prices have been lowered last May 12 under the Afford-A-Med program of Unilab, Philippine Medical Association and the departments of health and trade and industry.