There are currently 2 effective Typhoid vaccines:

• An ORAL Typhoid vaccine is given by mouth. You take one tablet every other day for 4 doses. Therefore, your dose schedule would follow as:

You take one tablet on the days marked. The ORAL vaccine should be taken on an empty stomach about one hour prior to eating.

• An INJECTABLE typhoid vaccine is given as a single shot.

Both vaccines provide about the same level of protection. However, the duration of protection last longer with the ORAL typhoid vaccine (5 years for oral vs. 2 years for injectable).

Other differences between the two different typhoid vaccines include:

• The ORAL typhoid vaccine is LIVE vaccine. The bacteria has been altered so that it doesn't cause the disease.
• The INJECTABLE typhoid vaccine is simply the outer covering of the bacteria (made up of sugar and fat). As such, it is impossible for this vaccine to cause typhoid fever.

Typhoid vaccine should be given to the following groups of people:

• traveler's to areas where there is a risk of exposure to Salmonella typhi (the bacteria that causes typhoid fever).
• household contacts of people who are "chronic carriers" of Salmonella typhi.
• laboratory workers who are frequently exposed to Salmonella typhi.

• people who do not fit into one of the groups above.
• anyone with an allergy to the vaccine or its components (sugar, vitamin C, amino acids and magnesium are in the ORAL vaccine; phenol is added to the injectable vaccine as a preservative)
• anyone with a high fever
• anyone with an acute gastrointestinal disease
• anyone taking an antibiotic (this is only a factor with the ORAL vaccine as the antibiotic may kill the live bacteria in the vaccine and decrease its effectiveness)
• people under 6 years old should not be given the ORAL typhoid vaccine and people under 2 years old should not receive the INJECTABLE typhoid vaccine

The main side effect(s) of the oral vaccine include:

• primarily nausea in less than 10% of recipients. Other side effects reported include abdominal pain, headache, fever, diarrhea and vomiting, although none of these symptoms occur more frequently than in patients receiving pklacebo in controlled trials.

The main side effect(s) of the INJECTABLE vaccine include:

• injection site soreness (almost always resolves within 48 hours) and fever.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THE VACCINE TO WORK?

• For the ORAL vaccine, the 4^th dose should be completed at least one week prior to potential exposure to Salmonella typhi.
• The INJECTABLE vaccine should be given at least 2 weeks prior to potential exposure to Salmonella typhi.

• Remember, no vaccine is 100% effective. You can still get typhoid fever even if you receive this vaccine. Please use caution in your selection of food and water.
• If you have ANY questions, please ask your health care provider.