Typhoid

Typhoid Fever is a bacterial infection that affects the digestive tract.

What Are the Symptoms?

The primary symptoms of Typhoid fever include prolonged high fever, headache, discomfort, cough and loss of appetite. Mild to severe diarrhea may also occur. Treatment for typhoid fever may require antibiotics or hospitalization if the case is severe.

Where Is It Found?

Typhoid is present all over the world but is more commonly found in parts of South, East and Southeast Asia, Central and South America, Africa and the Caribbean.

How Can You Get It?

Typhoid, much like Hepatitis A, is transmitted by contaminated food or water and by person-to-person contact with an infected person.

How Can You Prevent It?

The typhoid fever vaccine is the best way to protect against infection. However, it is still important to be conscious of the food you eat and the water you drink while abroad. You should also be sure to practice good hygiene, including washing your hands frequently with warm soap and water or using a hand sanitizer.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

Travelers to all countries outside of the U.S. and European countries should be vaccinated against Typhoid fever, especially if those travelers will be staying with or visiting with locals.

What to Expect Following Vaccination

Adverse reactions to Typhoid immunization are typically mild and include soreness and redness at the site of injection. If the immunization was taken orally, mild gastrointestinal effects may be experienced. These symptoms usually go away within the first few days.

Typhoid Factoid

Typhoid fever is caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi, which only lives in humans. There are 22 million cases and 200,000 typhoid related deaths all over the world every year.