Why Should You Be Vaccinated Against Typhoid Before Travelling?
Typhoid fever is a serious sickness that is primarily spread by consuming water or food which has been contaminated by a typhoid patient’s faeces or urine. Vaccination is necessary if you intend to visit parts of the continent where typhoid is prevalent. Keep reading to learn more about the typhoid vaccine in Bedfordshire.
How do I know if I have typhoid?
Typhoid fever symptoms often appear 1 to 2 weeks after a person contracts the Salmonella typhi bacteria. The symptoms should swiftly improve with treatment within three to five days.
The disease often worsens over a few weeks if untreated, and there is a high likelihood that life-threatening complications will manifest.
Without therapy, full recovery could take weeks or even months, and symptoms could return.
The main symptoms that accompany typhoid include:
– A continuous high temperature that slowly increases each day
– A headache
– Cough
– General aches and pains
– Fatigue or extreme tiredness
– Constipation
Later, when the disease worsens, you could experience weight loss, nausea, stomachache, and diarrhoea. Some individuals might get a rash.
Which countries require that you get the typhoid vaccine?
Although typhoid fever can be found anywhere in the world, it is more prevalent in places with poor hygiene and sanitation.
High-risk regions include:
– The Indian subcontinent
– South America
– Africa
– South and Southeast Asia
If you’re going to be living or working among locals, or if you’re going to spend a lot of time in regions where sanitary conditions are likely to be poor, vaccination is strongly advised.
Most UK residents who contract typhoid fever do so while travelling to Bangladesh, Pakistan, or India. Therefore, if you’re going to these countries, it’s crucial that you get the appropriate vaccinations.
It’s also important to get vaccinated against yellow fever before travelling abroad. Learn more about yellow fever vaccination in our previous blog post here:
Typhoid vaccine in Bedfordshire
The two primary typhoid vaccines offered in the UK are as follows:
– Vi vaccine: one injection
– Ty21a vaccine: three capsules to be taken every other day
For those who are 16 years of age or older, combined typhoid and hepatitis A shots are also an option. Hepatitis A and typhoid protection lasts one year and three years, respectively.
The way the vaccines work is by encouraging your body to produce antibodies, which are proteins that fight infections and keep you from getting sick if you come into contact with the typhoid bacterium.
Ty21a vaccine is not recommended for those with compromised immune systems, such as those with HIV and those undergoing certain types of treatment, like chemotherapy. This is because it comprises a live sample of Salmonella typhi bacteria.
Additionally, it is typically not advised for children under the age of 5, but children can receive the Vi vaccination as early as age 2. The risk of the Vi and Ty21a vaccinations to pregnant or nursing mothers is unknown. However, immunisation should be taken into account if there is a high risk of contracting typhoid fever.
The typhoid vaccine should preferably be administered at least one month before travel, though it can also be administered closer to the departure date if necessary. If you remain at risk of contracting the typhoid bacterium, booster shots are advised every three years.
Can you get typhoid after vaccination?
The effectiveness of typhoid vaccinations is not 100%. To help avoid infection, always adopt healthy eating and drinking practices.
The efficacy of typhoid vaccinations deteriorates over time. A booster is necessary every two years for the injectable vaccine and every five years for the oral vaccine. Ask your pharmacist if you need a booster shot if you have previously received vaccinations. Antibiotics only assist in treating typhoid fever; they do not prevent it.
What are the side effects of the typhoid vaccine?
Some patients experience temporary discomfort, redness, swelling, or hardness at the site of injection after receiving the typhoid fever vaccine.
Around 1 in every 100 people has a high temperature.
Among the less frequent side effects are:
– Abdominal pain
– Feeling sick
– Headache
– Diarrhoea
Both typhoid vaccinations seldom cause severe reactions.
Advice for travellers
When travelling to regions where typhoid fever is prevalent, it’s critical to follow some basic safety precautions, whether you have received the typhoid vaccine or not.
For instance:
– Only consume freshly boiled water or water that has been properly sealed in a bottle.
– Stay away from ice cream and don’t use ice in your beverages.
– Unless you’ve peeled them yourself or washed them in safe water, avoid eating raw fruit and vegetables.
– Steer clear of salads and seafood.
Visit C&H Barton Pharmacy today to get your typhoid vaccine in Bedfordshire and other travel-related advice.
This blog post was written on behalf of C & H Barton Pharmacy by Pharmacy Mentor.