Typhoid fever is caused by salmonella through ingesting food and water that has been contaminated by feces from infected humans.
Like with hepatitis A, people handling food in travellers’ destinations can transmit typhoid fever.
Typhoid fever is a potentially severe and occasionally life-threatening febrile illness. *
An estimated 22 million cases of typhoid fever and 200,000 related deaths occur worldwide each year*
The risk of typhoid fever is highest for travellers of Southern Asia (6–30 times higher than all other destinations)*. Other areas of risk include East and Southeast Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.*
A few days to a few weeks after infection, headache, fever and tiredness will start. Skin rash may also appear. If left untreated, typhoid fever will cause liver and spleen enlargement and sometimes death. It is always advisable to seek immediate health advice at your destination if you feel sick and to follow up with your travel doctor (See: After You Return).
Prevention is a combination of following our Food and Water Safety instructions and vaccination. An effective typhoid vaccine is available for those 2 years of age and older.
Please Note:
- The information in this page is for educational purposes only. It is not to substitute for a formal travel consult with your travel doctor.
- If you have health insurance offered to you through work or school you may be covered for vaccines. At time of payment, we will provide you with an invoice (with the unique DIN for each vaccine) so you can claim your expenses back from your insurance company.this vaccine is not covered by OHIP for travel purposes.
- Always seek immediate medical advise if you get sick abroad or after you return.
- Food and water safety should always be implemented even if you get vaccinated against Typhoid Fever.