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Immunizations - travel vaccinations - Management
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Definition
- Typhoid fever is a systemic infection caused by the Gram-negative bacillus Salmonella typhi spread primarily by the faecal–oral route.
When is typhoid fever vaccine indicated?
- Give a typhoid vaccination to:
- Travellers to countries where typhoid is endemic (e.g. south Asia, parts of south east Asia, the Middle East, Central and South America, and Africa), especially if staying with or visiting the local population.
- Travellers to endemic areas with frequent and/or prolonged exposure to conditions where sanitation and food hygiene are likely to be poor.
- Laboratory personnel who may handle Salmonella typhi in the course of their work.
- Typhoid vaccine is not 100% effective. Advise the person to take all necessary precautions to avoid contact with or ingestion of potentially contaminated food or water.
In depth
What types of typhoid fever vaccines are available?
- Two single component typhoid vaccines are available: Typherix® and Typhim®.
- Combined typhoid and hepatitis A vaccines are also available (Hepatyrix® and ViATIM®) which may be useful for people requiring simultaneous coverage against both illnesses.
In depth
What schedule is used for typhoid fever vaccine?
- Maximum antibody response to the inactivated typhoid vaccine is achieved one month following vaccination and persists for about three years.
Table 1. Schedule for the inactivated typhoid vaccine.
Vaccine | Schedule | Length of protection | Age |
|---|
Typhim Vi® | Single dose. | 3 years. | Adults and children 2 year and older. |
Typherix® | Single dose. | 3 years. | Adults and children 2 years and older. |
ViATIM®(combined hepatitis A and typhoid vaccine) | Single dose of combined vaccine. | Typhoid Revaccination with single dose purified polysaccharide typhoid vaccine every 3 years. Hepatitis A Booster dose of inactivated hepatitis A vaccine after 6–12 months. | From 16 years. |
Hepatyrix® | Single dose of combined vaccine. | Typhoid Revaccination with single dose purified polysaccharide typhoid vaccine every 3 years. Hepatitis A Booster dose of inactivated hepatitis A vaccine after 6–12 months. | From 15 years. |
|
In depth
What are the adverse effects of the typhoid fever vaccine?
- Local reactions (pain, swelling, erythema, and induration at injection site) are the most commonly reported symptoms. Systemic reactions following the vaccine are infrequent. There have been rare reports of anaphylaxis.
In depth
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