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Hepatitis A & Typhoid Vaccine (ViVaxim™)
What is hepatitis A?
• Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by the
hepatitis A virus.
• It is spread by eating or drinking food or water
contaminated with hepatitis A virus.
• Symptoms can include a lack of appetite, nausea,
tiredness, fever and jaundice.
• About 25% of people with hepatitis A require
hospitalization.
• Less than 1 out of 1000 people with hepatitis A will die.
• Hepatitis A is the most frequent vaccine-preventable
disease in travellers.
What is typhoid fever?
• Typhoid fever is caused by a bacteria.
• It is spread by eating or drinking food or water
contaminated with human feces. It occurs often in
situations where there is a breakdown in good sanitation.
• Symptoms include sudden fever, severe headache,
nausea, loss of appetite, rose spots on the trunk (25%),
sore throat with a non-productive cough and constipation.
• If untreated, 16% of people with typhoid fever can die.
Even with proper treatment, 1% will die.
• Between 2- 5% of people with typhoid fever become
carriers.
What does hepatitis A and typhoid vaccine contain?
• Hepatitis A and typhoid vaccine contains sodium chloride,
disodium phosphate dihydrate, sodium dyhydrogen
phosphate dihydrate, 2-phenoxyethanol, formaldehyde,
aluminum hydroxide, polysorbate 80, neomycin and water
for injection.
Who should receive the vaccine?
• Travellers, 16 years or older, to countries where hepatitis
A and typhoid are known to exist.
• Emergency relief workers and others likely to be posted
abroad at short notice to areas with high rates of
hepatitis A and typhoid fever.
Who should not receive the vaccine?
• People under 16 years of age.
• People with a life-threatening allergy to any of the vaccine
components.
• People with moderate to severe illness may have to delay
immunization.
When should the vaccine be given?
• At least 14 days before risk of exposure to both typhoid
fever and hepatitis A.
• May be safely given with other vaccines.
How is the vaccine given?
• By injection into a muscle.
How effective is typhoid vaccine?
• 95-99% are protected from hepatitis A within 4 weeks.
• 50-80% are protected from typhoid fever within 2 weeks.
How long does the protection last?
• To provide long-term protection against hepatitis A, a
booster dose of hepatitis A vaccine should be given 6 to
12 months later. Protection lasts at least 10 years, if not
for life after the booster.
• Protection from typhoid fever declines over time. Booster
doses are recommended every 3 years where typhoid risk
continues.
What might be felt after receiving typhoid vaccine?
• Headache, pain at injection site (very common).
• Nausea, diarrhea, achiness, tiredness, fever (common).
• Rash (uncommon).
• Other systemic reactions (rarely)
• Call the number below if you have severe or unusual
reactions.
For more information contact Public Health Services at (306) 655-4780.
© 2008, Saskatoon Health Region. Reproduced only by permission.
(updated February 12, 2009)
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