Description
Typhoid fever is a serious disease that can cause death. It is caused by a germ called Salmonella typhi and is spread most often through infected food or water. Typhoid may also be spread by close person-to-person contact with infected persons (such as occurs with persons living in the same household). Some infected persons do not appear to be sick, but they can still spread the germ to others.
Typhoid fever is rare in the U.S. and in other areas of the world that have good water and sewage (waste) systems. However, it is a problem in parts of the world that do not have such systems. If you are traveling to certain countries, or to remote, out-of-the-way areas, typhoid vaccine will help protect you from typhoid fever. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) currently recommend caution in the following areas of the world:
- Africa
- Asia
- Latin America
Typhoid vaccine given by injection helps prevent typhoid fever but does not provide 100% protection. Therefore, it is very important to avoid infected persons and food and water that may be infected, even if you have received the vaccine.
To get the best possible protection against typhoid, you should complete the vaccine dosing schedule at least 1 week before you travel to areas where you may be exposed to typhoid.
Also, if you will be traveling regularly to parts of the world where typhoid is a problem, you should get a booster (repeat) dose of the vaccine every 3 years.
Typhoid vaccine is to be used only by or under the supervision of a doctor.
Before Using
In deciding to use a vaccine, the risks of taking the vaccine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this vaccine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Typhoid vaccine is not recommended for infants and children up to 6 months of age. For infants and children 6 months of age and over, this vaccine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.
Geriatric
Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of typhoid vaccine in the elderly with use in other age groups, this vaccine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.
Drug Interactions
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
Other Interactions
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this vaccine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Previous sensitivity reaction to typhoid vaccine—Use of typhoid vaccine is not recommended
- Severe illness with fever—The symptoms of the condition may be confused with the side effects of the vaccine
Proper Use
It is important that you complete the full vaccine dosing schedule. If all the doses are not taken or if doses are not taken at the correct times, the vaccine may not work properly.
Dosing
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
Side Effects
Along with its needed effects, a vaccine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. It is very important that you tell your doctor about any side effects that occur after a dose of typhoid vaccine, even though the side effect may have gone away without treatment. Some types of side effects may mean that you should not receive any more doses of typhoid vaccine.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Rare
- Chest pain
- difficulty in breathing or swallowing
- hives
- itching, especially of feet or hands
- joint pain
- reddening of skin, especially around ears
- swelling of eyes, face, or inside of nose
- unusual tiredness or weakness (sudden and severe)
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
- Fever
- general feeling of discomfort or illness
- headache
- muscle pain
- pain, redness, or swelling at place of injection
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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