Typhoid

Typhoid Vaccinations, Oldham

Here at our clinic in Oldham, Greater Manchester, we offer the typhoid vaccine to those travelling to at-risk areas. You can book by phone, or using the contact form on our website.

Please note the price of all vaccines is subject to change.

What’s Typhoid Fever?
Typhoid fever is a sickness caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi (S. Typhi). It infects your small bowel (gut) and causes high fever, stomach pain and other symptoms. Typhoid fever is also called enteric fever.

You’ll generally hear paratyphoid fever mentioned along with typhoid. Paratyphoid fever is analogous to typhoid with further mild symptoms. It’s caused by Salmonella Paratyphi (S. Paratyphi). Typhi and S. Paratyphi are different than the Salmonella bacteria that beget salmonellosis, a common type of food poisoning. The vaccine provided by our team in Greater Manchester has been proven to prevent infection.

How long before travel should I get the typhoid vaccine?
Ideally, you should get your vaccination one month before you are due to travel. It can still be effective if given before your travel date.

How long do typhoid vaccinations last?
If you are a regular traveller to parts of the world that are at risk, our team recommend getting a booster vaccination every three years. This keeps your protection up to date.

Who does Typhoid Fever Affect?
Typhoid fever is most common in pastoral areas of developing countries where there is not ultramodern sanitation. Nations in South and Southeast Asia, Central and South America, Africa and the Caribbean are most affected by typhoid. Travellers are most at threat when visiting Pakistan, India or Bangladesh.

Children are more likely to get typhoid than adults. It’s estimated that 11 million to 21 million people around the world get typhoid each time. It’s rare in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Western Europe and Australia.

Some people continue to be contagious with typhoid fever indeed after they’ve recovered (long-term carrier). You can spread typhoid for a time or further with no symptoms. It’s important to get tested for S. Typhi after you feel better to make sure you can’t spread it to other people.

What’s the difference between Typhoid and Typhus?
While the names sound the same, typhoid and typhus are different ails, caused by different bacteria. The symptoms are analogous — so important so that croakers used to suppose they were the same illness. We now know they’re different ails, but the analogous name stuck (and so did the confusion it causes). Please note that the typhoid vaccine provided at our clinic near Rochdale in Greater Manchester does not prevent typhus.

Symptoms and Causes:
Symptoms:
Typhoid fever gets its name from a high fever that can last for weeks if left undressed. It frequently gets precipitously worse over a many days.

Other symptoms of typhoid fever include:

Headache
Chills
Loss of appetite
Abdominal pain
A rash with pink spots, generally on your chest or stomach.
Coughing
Muscle pangs
Nausea, vomiting
Diarrhea or constipation

Causes:
A bacteria strain known as salmonella enterica serotype typhi causes typhoid illness, preventable by vaccine. Different strains of salmonella bacteria result in a similar illness known as paratyphoid fever. It is important to know the difference.

People pick up the bacteria most frequently in places where outbreaks are common. The bacteria passes out of the body in the stool and urine of people carrying it. Without careful hand-washing after going to the restroom, the bacteria can move from the hands to objects or other people.

The bacteria also can spread from a person who carries the bacteria. It can spread on food that is not cooked, similar as raw fruits without a peel. In places where water is not treated to kill origins, you can pick up the bacteria from that source. This includes drinking water, using ice made from undressed water, or by drinking unpasteurized milk or juice.

Which Regions do you need Typhoid Vaccine for?
Typhoid fever is veritably rare in the UK and other areas of the world that have good water and sewage systems. Still, it’s a problem in parts of the world that don’t have similar systems. However, getting typhoid vaccine at our Oldham clinic will protect you from contracting typhoid fever, if you’re traveling to certain countries or remote areas. The CDC recommends caution in the following areas of the world:

Africa
Asia
Latin America

How does Typhoid Fever Spread?
Typhoid fever generally spreads through food or water defiled with S. Typhi. This can be if someone with typhoid traces commodity you eat or drink without washing their hands. It can also be if waste water (water that has poop or pee in it) gets into water you drink or on food you eat.

You can get typhoid from another person if they don’t splash their hands after traversing to the washroom. When they touch shells and objects (like phones or doorknobs) they can leave bacteria behind that can transfer to the coming person who touches it.

Getting Vaccinated:
Vaccination can help typhoid fever. CDC recommends vaccination for people traveling to places where typhoid fever is common, similar as South Asia, especially India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh.

The team at our clinic near Rochdale, Greater Manchester can help advise you of your options.

Two typhoid fever vaccines are accessible in the UK, and are available at our clinic in Oldham.

Oral vaccine – Can exist given away to people at least 6 ages old. It consists of four capsules taken every other day and should be finished at least 1 week before trip.
Injectable vaccine – Can be given to people at least 2 times old and should be given at least 2 weeks before trip.
Typhoid vaccines aren’t 100% effective. Always exercise safe eating and drinking habits to help infection.

Typhoid vaccines lose effectiveness over time. The injectable vaccine requires a supporter every 2 times, and the oral vaccine requires a supporter every 5years.However, ask your croaker if it’s time for a supporter vaccination, if you were vaccinated in the history. Taking antibiotics won’t help typhoid fever; they only help treat it.

Prevention:

How can I Reduce my Threat of Typhoid Fever?
The best way to reduce your threat of typhoid fever is to get vaccinated if you live in or are traveling to an area where it’s common. Hand washing and safe food preparation are important for limiting the spread of typhoid.

Safe Food Practices for Preventing Typhoid Fever:
Vaccines are the best way to cover yourself from typhoid. But you should also avoid eating or drinking foods that could be contaminated with S. Typhi or other bacteria. Safe food handling practices include:

Not cooking for others if you’re unwell.
Wash your hands with soap and water before and after preparing food or eating and after going to the bathroom.
Wash plates and cutlery before and after use.
If you’re unsure if food is safe, eat only well – cooked or packaged food.
Don’t drink unclean water or food prepared with unclean water. However, it’s safest to use bottled water to drink and cook with, if you’re doubtful.

What are the Stages of Typhoid Fever?
You can develop symptoms of typhoid fever in four stages. Initial treatment with antibiotics can prevent you from developing into further stages.

Stage 1 – You can start to show typhoid symptoms anywhere from 5 to 14 days after contact with S. Typhi. The first symptom is a fever that develops over many days. During this time, the bacteria is increasing in your bloodstream.
Stage 2 – Around the second week of fever, the bacteria is multiplying in your body. You’ll start experiencing abdominal pain, diarrhoea or constipation. You might get small pink blotches on your skin like a rash.
Stage 3 – If not treated with antibiotics, the infection can do severe damage, generally around the third week after your symptoms start. Some people get serious complications, like internal bleeding and encephalitis (inflammation in the brain).
Stage 4 – Stage four is when most people begin to recover, and the high fever begins to come down. S. Typhi can live in your gallbladder without causing symptoms, which means you may still be contagious after you feel well.
Diagnosis and Tests:

How is Typhoid Fever Diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will use your symptoms, your travel history and lab tests to diagnose typhoid fever. They’ll give you a physical test and listen to your heart and lungs.

It’s important to tell your provider if you’ve traveled lately or suspect that you’ve been exposed to typhoid, or else they may not know to test for it. They’ll also use the information to decide what treatment to give.

What Tests can be done to Diagnose Typhoid Fever?
Your healthcare provider will take samples of body fluids to test for signs of S. Typhi. They might take samples of your:

Blood – Your provider will use a syringe to take blood from your arm.
Poop – Your healthcare provider will give you a sterile cup and instructions on how to collect a sample.
Pee (urine) – You may be asked to pee into a mug given to you by your healthcare provider.
Bone sample – Your provider will numb your skin and use a needle to get a sample of the inside of your bones. It’s rare that you’d ever need this test for opinion.
You provider may also take X-rays to look for changes in your lungs.

Management and Treatment:

What’s the Treatment for Typhoid Fever?
Typhoid is treated with antibiotics. Some newer types of the bacteria are suitable to survive antibiotic treatments, so you’ll be treated with different antibiotics depending on what type of typhoid you have and where you got sick. Paratyphoid fever is also treated with antibiotics.

Still, you might need additional treatments if you’re severely ill or have complications. You may need to be admitted to hospital for these treatments.

Antibiotic Resistance in Typhoid:
Bacteria like S. Typhi can occasionally develop resistance to treatment. This means that antibiotics don’t work as soon as expected (antibiotic resistance).

Numerous cases of typhoid can no longer be cured by antibiotics, but some medicines still work on them. Some are extremely medicine resistant (XDR typhoid) and only a few antibiotics still work on them. This is one of the reasons that getting vaccinated to help typhoid is so important.

Healthcare workers are concerned that we may no longer be suitable to treat typhoid if available drugs stop working. You’ll be treated with an antibiotic that works on the kind of typhoid you have grounded on the results of strain testing.

If you have more questions, or are unsure if the typhoid vaccine is right for you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch, or book an appointment with our clinician, who can further advise you.