Infectious diseases all have common symptoms. With such similarities, diagnosis of the correct disease can be a bit of a challenge. When such confusion arises, it is important to get a full-body check-up to get the correct diagnosis. Doctors can let you know through a check-up, once you let them know the symptoms.
Pneumonia Vs. Typhoid
The main difference between these two diseases is that pneumonia is an infection of the lungs, which affects the lung tissues. Bacteria, fungi, protozoa, etc., cause it. Bacteria are known as the “salmonella typhi bacteria“. Typhoid, on the other hand, is mainly caused by “salmonella typhi bacteria“.
Pneumonia is a lung infection that mostly affects the tissues of the lungs. The different types of bacteria that cause pneumonia include streptococcus pneumoniae, mycoplasma pneumonia, chlamydia, pneumonia, etc. Other types of bacteria and fungi that cause pneumonia could be present in the air.
Typhoid is known as a very common disease in developing countries. It is caused by a bacterium known as salmonella typhi and is due to the consumption of contaminated food or water. It is a highly transmissible disease and can be transmitted from one person to another.
Comparison between Pneumonia and Typhoid
- Pneumonia is a disease that causes infection of the lungs and especially the lung tissues. Typhoid on the other hand is an infection that mostly affects the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and bloodstream.
- Several issues such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses can cause pneumonia while typhoid is caused by a bacterium called salmonella typhi.
- Pneumonia symptoms include chest pains, breathing difficulties, and a lot of mucus in cough while typhoid symptoms are diarrhea, abdominal pain, indigestion, vomiting, and a loss of appetite.
- Pneumonia can be treated through antibiotics, expectorants, antipyretics, and analgesics while typhoid can be treated through antimicrobials and a strict fat-free diet.
- Pneumonia is a very common disease with over ten million cases every year while typhoid is relatively rare. There are at least 100 thousand cases every year.
What is Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that mainly affects the lung tissues. It is a common infection affecting young children and the elderly. Since it affects the lung tissues, it causes breathing complications.
Pneumonia has many causes from which it arises that include Streptococcus pneumonia, Mycoplasma pneumonia, chlamydia, pneumonia, and Haemophilus influenzae. Along with these pneumonia-causing bacteria, it can also arise from fungi, viruses, and other microorganisms that are present in the air.
The causes of pneumonia, which include bacteria, viruses, and fungi, affect the lungs and in some severe cases, the damage caused is irreversible. Any damage to the lungs results in great breathing complications.
Initial symptoms that can be a sign of pneumonia include breathing difficulties, pain in the chest while coughing, mucus in the cough, wheezing, and high fever. Pneumonia requires early diagnosis and treatment as delay in treatment could lead to severe consequences. Some initial treatment methods that help reduce the severity of the pneumonia symptoms include oral or systemic antibiotics or proper fluid level balance.
If the patient is experiencing breathing difficulties, it is recommended that they get oxygen therapy.
What is Typhoid?
Typhoid is a bacterial infection that affects the digestive system. It is highly transmissible which means that it can be transmitted or passed from one person to another. It is experienced mainly during the monsoon season.
Typhoid is a result of a bacteria known as salmonella Typhi. If this bacteria is present in food or water that is meant for consumption, it will automatically result in typhoid. The salmonella typhi bacteria affects the digestive system and in particular the gastrointestinal tract.
Typhoid can be denoted as soon as you see symptoms such as high fever, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. In some cases, there is the presence of severe vomiting. There are some rare cases where a person suffering from typhoid does not show any symptoms.
Detecting pneumonia in a patient who does not show any symptoms can be quite difficult. Once the infection gets serious, you will begin to see issues such as nose bleeding, painful cough, and abdominal pain and distension. Typhoid requires early check-up and treatment if any symptoms are denoted to prevent the cases from getting any worse.
Typhoid can be treated by administering antibiotics, and antimicrobials. The doctor also recommends a very strict diet, which is fat-free. This is to allow quick digestion.
Difference between Pneumonia and Typhoid
- Pneumonia is a lung infection affecting the lung tissues while typhoid is an infection that affects the digestive system.
- There are a lot of different things that result in pneumonia which include bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Typhoid on the other hand is a result of consuming food and water that is contaminated. Contamination is a result of the typhoid bacteria called Salmonella Typhi.
- Pneumonia symptoms include high fever, breathing difficulty, painful chest while coughing and mucus in the cough. Typhoid symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, high fever, and in some cases, painful coughing.
- Pneumonia can be treated by administering antibiotics, antipyretics, expectorants, and analgesics which are prescribed by a doctor. Typhoid on the other hand is treated by administering antibiotics and antimicrobials. The treatment should also be strictly followed by a fat-free diet for ease of digestion.
- Pneumonia is very common as every year records at least ten million cases. Typhoid is less common as every year; at least a hundred thousand cases are reported.
Conclusion
Many diseases share similar symptoms which makes it difficult to give the right diagnosis. To avoid this confusion, it is important that you visit a doctor and get a full body checkup that allows them to give the right diagnosis, and correct medication.
Pneumonia and typhoid are examples of diseases that share similar symptoms, yet are very different. They are both very different diseases that target different areas of your body. Pneumonia targets your lungs while typhoid targets your digestive system. To avoid wrong diagnoses and cases getting extremely severe, it is good to visit a doctor who will treat and prescribe the right medication.