The Fevers

Hi, since I'm still not in Africa :( I'm going to share the fevers that you can catch :). There are 4 main fevers you can catch, there is Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Malaria, and let's not forget Ebola.

Typhoid

Typhoid is a life-threatening illness caused by bacteria called Salmonella Typhyi. 75 percent is caused by internationally traveling. I know that's very bad for me but luckily I got the shot. It hurt sooooooo bad I couldn't even lift my arm.


You can also catch Typhoid by eating or drinking beverages that have been used by someone who is shedding Salmonella Typhyi or if sewage that is infected by Salmonella Typhyi gets into the water your drinking or washing the food.

How to avoid Typhoid

1. Avoid risky foods and drinks.
2. Get vaccinated.

It may be surprising but watching what you eat and drink is as important as being vaccinated. Vaccines don't always work. Avoiding risky foods will help protect you from other illnesses which are traveler's diarrhea, cholera, dysentery and Hepatitis A. My mom and grandpa both got Hepatitis A from food!

Symptoms of Typhoid Fever
1. High fever - temperatures getting to 103-104
2. feeling weak
3. Stomach pains
4. Headache
5. Loss of appetite

In some cases, people have a rash of flat rose-colored spots. Isn't that disgusting!

To know for sure that you have Typhoid is to have samples of stool or blood tested for existence of Salmonella Typhi.

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is caused by a virus given to you by an infected mosquito. In parts of Africa, mosquitos that mate around houses and in the wild infect humans and monkeys. This is the most common type of outbreak in Africa. These are the symptoms of yellow fever.
1. Fever
2. Chills
3. Muscle aches
4. Back pain
5. Headache
6. Malaise (this means feeling really sick)
7. Weakness
8. Lack of appetite
9. Vomiting
There is no specific treatment for Yellowstone fever, I mean yellow fever. They mostly try to make you feel better.

You want to know something funny, the day after I took the yellow fever shot, I was lying in bed holding my stomach for about half the day and then my dad came in and asked "do you want a garbage can?" And I said "no," and then about 2 seconds later I said "Okay, I think I'll need a bucket" and here's how it went: 1 second, I was crying, the next second, I was laughing!! Isn't that funny?


Malaria

Malaria is an infection that can cause violent illness and may be life threatening. You catch malaria from a bite from an infected female mosquito called an Anopheles. They carry an organism called Plasmodium. Malaria looks like the flu with a really high fever. Symptoms come and go in cycles. Some types are more serious and can hurt your heart, lungs, kidneys or brain. These types can be deadly.
My dad got malaria in Africa when he was 19 years old. It was not fun. (Dad's note)


Ebola

Ebola is one of the most deadliest viruses in the world. Up to 90% of people who catch it die. In 2014 there was a serious outbreak in West Africa. The good part is that I won't be in West Africa, but still I should write about it. People can get Ebola from humans or fruit bat.


At first it looks like the flu, but then you start internally bleeding and that can cause death! There have been no cases in Rwanda:).


The other fevers I can catch are Rabies, Dengue fever, and lots of other scary things. When we were in Africa in 2010, my sister got a crazy disease that we never knew what it was!