Gurgaon: Doctors in the city are reporting a noticeable rise in typhoid and other prolonged fever cases following monsoon, with waterlogging, sewage contamination and poor sanitation increasing the risk of water- and food-borne infections. However, physicians said typhoid has not overtaken dengue or malaria as the predominant confirmed monsoon infection, with dengue cases also showing an upward trend after recent heavy rains.Dr Tushar Tayal, associate director of internal medicine at CK Birla Hospital, said, “During this period, contamination of drinking water and food becomes more common as sewage and dirty water can mix with water sources. Poor sanitation and consumption of unhygienic food further add to the risk.”Dr MK Singh, director and senior consultant of internal medicine at Narayana Hospital, said the hospital had seen a large number of fever patients since the monsoon began. “Typhoid cases have also increased, with some being culture positive, while dengue cases have risen over the past week following the heavy rains,” he said. According to Singh, contamination of food and water was the main reason behind the rise in typhoid, while the increase in dengue was linked to a rise in mosquito vectors following rainfall.Though typhoid numbers are not reported to the health department like dengue or malaria, doctors said they are seeing four to five cases a week, compared with just one to two a month earlier this year.Monsoon creates favourable conditions for transmission of salmonella typhi, particularly when heavy rain and waterlogging increase the possibility of sewage entering or contaminating drinking water sources. Poor hand hygiene and consumption of contaminated food or water can further facilitate transmission.Doctors, however, cautioned against assuming that every prolonged fever during the monsoon is typhoid. Dr Shivam Sharma, senior consultant, internal medicine at Max Hospital, said the hospital was seeing more patients with prolonged fever and gastrointestinal symptoms during monsoon, but typhoid had not emerged as the predominant confirmed monsoon infection. “Dengue cases have been steadily increasing locally, with 30 confirmed cases reported in the district as of Aug 26, while malaria cases remain comparatively lower,” he said.Typhoid continues to be an important cause of prolonged fever, particularly among patients with persistent fever, abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea or constipation and weakness, Dr Sharma said, stressing the need for appropriate testing before starting treatment. He described the increase in typhoid as “noticeable rather than a dramatic surge,” adding that its magnitude could vary across hospitals and localities.At the same time, Dr Sharma said the city was seeing favourable conditions for mosquito-borne diseases. Warm and humid weather, coupled with stagnant water following rainfall, can support mosquito breeding and contribute to the rise in dengue cases.Doctors said the overlap in symptoms of dengue, malaria, typhoid and viral infections makes clinical evaluation important, and that persistent fever should not be self-treated with antibiotics without establishing the likely cause.On prevention, Dr Tayal advised residents not to ignore persistent fever, particularly when accompanied by weakness, headache, abdominal discomfort or loss of appetite, and recommended safe drinking water, hand hygiene and avoiding food from unhygienic sources. Singh advised avoiding exposed food, consuming safe drinking water — preferably boiled or RO water — wearing full-sleeved clothing during the daytime, and using mosquito repellents to reduce exposure to dengue-transmitting mosquitoes.
