Vaccination against typhoid fever

WHAT TYPHERIX IS AND WHAT IT IS USED FOR?

Typherix is a vaccine which helps prevent typhoid fever, an infectious illness caused by a type of bacteria called Salmonella typhi.

This vaccine can be given to both adults and children aged 2 years and over. In this leaflet, any reference to ‘you’ can also mean ‘your child’.

HOW TYPHERIX WORKS?

Typherix contains a small part of the bacterium which causes typhoid fever. This is not infectious and cannot make you ill.

• when you are given the vaccine it will trigger the body’s immune system to prepare itself to protect against typhoid fever in the future.
• typherix will only prevent disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi and not against salmonella bacteria that can cause food poisoning or gastroenteritis.

Typhoid fever is an infectious illness caused by a bacterium, Salmonella typhi. It is caused and spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Since the bacterium is present in the bowel movement (motion), the infection can occur in any country, but it more commonly occurs in places or countries with poor personal or public hygiene.

The main signs of the illness include headache, pains in the stomach, constipation or diarrhoea and a fever that may last for one or two weeks. Patients normally get better after about four weeks, but relapses can occur.