Typhoid fever and oral rehydration therapy

Fever, diarrhoea and vomiting can reduce body fluids and electrolytes. Oral rehydration solution is formulated so the intestine can absorb water together with salts and glucose. It is different from plain water alone, which may not replace the salts lost during ongoing diarrhoea.

Oral rehydration supports the body; it does not kill Salmonella Typhi. A clinician should assess suspected typhoid and decide whether antibiotics or testing are needed. Similar fluid loss can occur with food poisoning, gastroenteritis, heat exhaustion or other illnesses.

Prepare oral rehydration salts exactly as the package directs, using safe drinking water and the stated amount. Take small, frequent sips; if vomiting occurs, pause briefly and restart more slowly. Keep the prepared solution according to the product instructions and discard it when advised.

Continue suitable food when you can tolerate it, and record whether you are passing urine. Do not substitute soft drinks or heavily sweetened juices for a correctly prepared solution. Ask a pharmacist or clinician about the right product if you have another medical condition.

Get urgent medical help for fainting, confusion, severe dizziness, inability to keep fluids down, blood in stool, severe abdominal pain, or very little urine. A person who is unusually sleepy, difficult to wake, or rapidly worsening may need assessment and fluids through a medical service.

Ask which rehydration product is suitable, how often to sip it, whether testing for typhoid is needed, and which symptoms mean you should attend an emergency department.