Abstract:
Typhoid fever, a potentially lethal global problem of public health significance, is a disease of antiquity. Whereas Hippocrates (460-377 BC) is known to have described it, Chang Chung Ching (floruit 168 AD) has the honour to author a medical classic "Essay on Typhoid Fever". The renowned physicians of the globe, during their lifetime, contributed significantly towards the understanding of epidemiology and transmission of the disease. However, the highly, commendable achievements were made by Carl Joseph Eberth in 1880 through discovery of the incriminating organism, by Fernand Widal in I896 through,introduction of the first laboratory diagnostic test, by Almroth Edward Wright in 1897 through production of the first vaccine and by Walter Reed in 1898 through description of the modes of transmission of the disease. It is a pity that the graph of morbidity and mortality attributable to typhoid fever is going high up. Despite identification of the aetiological agent, remarkable improvement in the understanding of the epidentiology and tansmission of the disease, availability of the specific, and sensitive diagnostic tools, presence of efficacious and affordable medications there is little hope that eradication of this ancient malady could be a possibility in the near future.
Page(s):
10-16
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Medical Channel: Journal of Modern Dental and Medical Sciences, Volume: 10, Issue: 2, Year: 2004