What is the Difference Between Malaria and Typhoid?

Malaria and typhoid are two distinct diseases with different causes and symptoms. Here are the main differences between them:

Causes:

• Malaria is caused by a protozoan organism called Plasmodium, which is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes.
• Typhoid is caused by the gram-negative bacterium Salmonella Typhi, which is transmitted through the ingestion of food and drinks contaminated by infected waste.

Symptoms:

• Malaria symptoms include fever, chills, headache, dry cough, nausea, vomiting, and anemia. Jaundice is also a common symptom in malaria cases.
• Typhoid symptoms include fever, headache, delirium, dry cough, nausea, vomiting, anemia, and a rash on the skin. Relative bradycardia and leucopenia are also features of typhoid fever.

Diagnosis:

• In malaria, the presence of Plasmodium in thick or thin blood films is indicative of the disease.
• In typhoid, rising agglutination titers on sequential testing is suggestive of the disease, but it should be considered in reference to the prevailing titre level in the population.

Both diseases share social circumstances that are crucial to their transmission, and they can cause significant morbidity, mortality, and economic loss. In areas where both malaria and typhoid are endemic, co-infection may occur, making it essential to consider both diseases when diagnosing patients with persistent fever despite therapy.

Comparative Table: Malaria vs Typhoid

Here is a table comparing the differences between malaria and typhoid:

Malaria is caused by a protozoan organism called Plasmodium and is transmitted by anopheline mosquitoes. Symptoms of malaria include malarial paroxysms, fever, chills, and jaundice. Malaria can be diagnosed using a malaria antigen test. Prevention measures for malaria include mosquito nets, insect repellent, and antimalarial drugs.

Typhoid, on the other hand, is caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi and is transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food and water. Symptoms of typhoid include high fever, headache, abdominal pain, and rash. Typhoid can be diagnosed with a blood test and culture of the bacteria. Prevention measures for typhoid include vaccination, proper food handling, and access to clean water.