Why Your Typhoid Is Never Healed

Why Your Typhoid Is Never Healed

You treated it last month.
You treated it again two months later.
The fever keeps coming back.

Many people say they have “persistent typhoid.” In most cases, it is not true typhoid. It is either wrong diagnosis, wrong treatment, or poor follow up.

Here is why your typhoid never seems to go away.

1. You were never properly tested

Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella Typhi.

In many places, diagnosis relies only on the Widal test. The Widal test often gives false positive results. It can show typhoid even when you do not have it.

This leads to repeated treatment for a disease you never had.

What you should do:
• Request a blood culture test when possible
• Do not rely on symptoms alone
• Avoid treating based only on a single Widal result

2. You did not complete your antibiotics

Typhoid requires a full course of antibiotics.

When you stop medication once the fever drops, some bacteria survive. These surviving bacteria multiply again. The illness returns.

What you should do:
• Finish the full dose
• Take drugs at the correct time daily
• Do not share antibiotics

3. The bacteria are resistant

Antibiotic resistance is rising. Some strains of Salmonella no longer respond to common drugs.

If the wrong antibiotic is used, the fever persists.

What you should do:
• Get proper medical prescription
• Avoid buying random antibiotics
• Follow your doctor’s advice strictly

4. You keep getting reinfected

Typhoid spreads through contaminated food and water.

If your environment is not clean, you can get infected again after treatment.

Common risk factors:
• Drinking untreated water
• Eating street food prepared in poor hygiene
• Poor hand washing

What you should do:
• Drink clean, treated water
• Wash hands before eating
• Avoid risky food sources

5. It may not be typhoid at all

Many illnesses look like typhoid.

Examples include:
• Malaria
• Urinary tract infection
• Viral fever
• Peptic ulcer
• Tuberculosis

Repeated fever does not automatically mean typhoid. If treatment fails multiple times, demand further investigation. Also, the regular Widal test for detecting the presence of the causative organism is no longer used. The ideal test must be carried out using blood culture.

Warning signs that need urgent review:
• Persistent high fever
• Severe weakness
• Confusion
• Abdominal swelling
• Continuous vomiting

Protect yourself

• Practice good hygiene
• Get proper laboratory diagnosis
• Complete treatment fully
• Avoid self medication

Recurrent “typhoid” is often misdiagnosis or reinfection.
Stop guessing.
Test properly.
Treat correctly.