Cholera is still a major, major, big time problem in Africa and parts of Asia.
I’m still here – still feeling fine – I call the doctor every morning to see if the results from Thursday are in. The receptionist keeps telling me that if the results were in, and the doctor had reviewed them, that she would have called. All of which is fine, but I want to be sure.
Thanks for checking up on me – I’m feeling so special now!
Once, when studying in Wales, severl people got typhoid or suspected typhoid. Yes, folks - an asymtomtic carrier. Working as a cook. :eek:
Kee well, MLS.
Well, here’s good news. My doctor’s office called me back this morning. Tests negative. So regardless if I was exposed to this nasty, or even had it, I am now free of it.
Thanks to everyone who sent good thoughts.
That’s very good news.
What especially sucks about this story is that there is now an oral vaccine for Typhoid with virtually no side effects, that’s good for 5 years. The best most people can say about the typhoid shot is “it’s better than typhoid.” Don’t be suprised if the shot lays you down with a fever and flu-like symptoms.
I have a funny story from my archaeology days of a whole dig coming down with cholera while excavating a cemetary in peat-bog. Oh, that’s what killed them!
Every time I see the name of this thread I think of the book Christy where near the end there’s a typhoid epidemic because people go to the bathroom too close to their wells…
Here’s a follow-up.
The other day my doctor called up and suggested that I go see the infectious disease group anyway, just to be sure. So I did.
The ID doctor was very happy to see someone who felt perfectly fine. I think the group probably deals with a lot of people who are dreadfully sick with awful diseases.
After listening to my story, he said that (a) I most likely never had Typhoid. (b) If I did, and got over it, there is nothing to worry about now. In fact, in that unlikely case, I am now better off, since I’d now have immunity. © It is possible, although not likely, to be an asymptomatic carrier, but even then, no treatment would be given. It has been found, he said, that in that situation antibiotics only prolong the time until the germs are clear of the body. (d) If I were a risk to public health because I worked in a food-handling industry they would do stool samples, report any positive results to The Authorities and I’d be required to be out of that line of work until I tested negative. (e) This is the kicker: The blood test my doctor did was for a different disease – brucellosis – which there is zero chance that I contracted since it is spread by consuming raw milk from diseased cows. We have no idea why that test was ordered.
Just thought y’all would like to know.
Yay! I’m glad for you, MLS!
Wonder what’s up with your doctor though. 
Yeah, that was kind of weird. Like I said earlier, they were kind of flummoxed by the whole concept in the family practice office. The only thing we have come up with is that someone – either in the office or the lab – miscoded the test instructions and put down the wrong test number.
And she did correctly decide that this was out of her depth and sent me to someone to whom it was basic knowledge.