About this service
Typhoid fever is an infection that the typhoid vaccine helps protect you against. Typhoid fever can be spread from unclean food and water, like Traveller’s Diarrhoea. Having a vaccination before your trip can reduce the risk of catching typhoid fever along with practising good hygiene.
Speak to your local Allied Pharmacy offering this service to arrange a convenient time for you to pop by for your vaccine. Please ensure you speak with a pharmacist about this at least 6 to 8 weeks before travelling.
What is typhoid fever?
Within the space of three weeks, from being infected, symptoms of typhoid fever can begin to show. These symptoms include:
- High temperature (please be aware that this may slowly get worse over a few days)
- Headache
- Coughing
- Aches and pains
- Chills
- Feeling tired
- Nausea
- Constipation
- A loss of appetite
There are other symptoms that may develop from some listed above, potentially worsening your condition. For instance, stomach pain and diarrhoea.
Who needs a Typhoid Vaccine?
When booking your holiday abroad, it is important to check the necessary travel vaccines needed against foreign illnesses. Those who are at risk of typhoid fever are those travelling to parts of:
- Asia
- Africa
- Central and South America
- Specifically, most travellers from the UK who have got typhoid fever are those who have visited:
- India
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
Typhoid fever, if not treated, can be dangerous and lead to serious complications such as internal bleeding or an infection in your stomach’s lining (this is called peritonitis). Even though recovery is possible and most people make a full recover, there is a small number of people who become carriers and can spread this infection to others for months or years!
How else can I lower my risk?
In addition to the typhoid vaccine, there are other ways you can help boost protection against this infection. This includes:
- Regularly wash your hands with warm water and soap, particularly after using the toilet, before preparing food and before eating.
- Use sanitiser gel as an alternative to soap and clean water, if this isn’t available for you to wash your hands.
- Use bottled or cooled boiled water to brush your teeth with.
- Drink bottled or canned drinks as well as drinks made with boiled water to be safe.
- Eat foods that have been recently or thoroughly cooked and is served hot!
Practising good hygiene, like the above, and having the vaccine can help you stay safe while travelling and coming home.
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