Typhoid, Purified Polysaccharide Antigen

Typhoid, Purified Polysaccharide Antigen is a vaccine used to prevent typhoid in persons two years of age and older.

It belongs to a group of drugs called typhoid vaccines. They work in the body by inducing a protective immune response against the disease.     

It is available in an injectable form and is administered directly into a muscle (IM) by a healthcare professional at least 2 weeks before travel to parts of the world where typhoid is common. 

Common side effects include fever, headache and redness or swelling at the site of the injection.

Typhoid, Purified Polysaccharide Antigen is a vaccine given to prevent typhoid in persons two years of age and older.

According to the CDC, routine vaccination with typhoid, purified polysaccharide antigen is not recommended in the United States, but this vaccine is recommended for:

• Travelers to parts of the world where typhoid is common. (NOTE: typhoid vaccine is not 100% effective and is not a substitute for being careful about what you eat or drink).
• People in close contact with a typhoid carrier.
• Laboratory workers who work with Salmonella Typhi bacteria

This vaccine may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Typhoid, Purified Polysaccharide Antigen may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Typhim Vi

Serious side effects have been reported with this vaccine. See Drug ”Precautions” section.

Common side effects include:

• Fever 
• Headache 
• Redness or swelling at the site of the injection 

This is not a complete list of side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about this vaccine's side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) at 1-800-822-7967 or http://www.fda.gov/vaers. 

No drug interactions have been identified for this vaccine. However, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non­prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Not all drug interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continually being reported.

Like any medicine, a vaccine could cause a serious problem, such as a severe allergic reaction. The risk of this vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small. Serious problems from this vaccine are very rare.      

Signs of a severe allergic reaction can include hives, swelling of the face and throat, difficulty breathing, a fast heartbeat, dizziness, and weakness. These would start a few minutes to a few hours after the vaccination.                                                                          

Do not receive this vaccine if you are allergic to any components of this vaccine. 

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of this vaccine, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before receiving this vaccine, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to this vaccine or to any of its ingredients
• if your child is younger than 2 years of age
• have a fever and/or any type of infection or illness.
• if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non­prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.  

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.  

Typhoid, Purified Polysaccharide Antigen falls into category C. No studies have not been done in animals with this vaccine and there are no well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Therefore, it is not known whether this vaccine can cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant women or can affect reproduction capacity. Typhoid, Purified Polysaccharide Antigen should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed your baby.

It is not known if the component in this vaccine crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this vaccine, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing and/or start the use of this vaccine. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of receiving this vaccine while breastfeeding.

Receive this vaccine exactly as prescribed.

This medication is available in a liquid injectable form to be given directly into a muscle (IM) by a healthcare professional at least 2 weeks before travel to allow the vaccine time to work. A booster dose is needed every 2 years for people who remain at risk.

Receive this vaccination exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider.

The recommended dose of Typhim Vi (typhoid, purified polysaccharide antigen) for persons two years and over is a single dose of (0.5mL). 

Typhoid, Purified Polysaccharide Antigen is administered by a healthcare provider:

• in the muscle of the arm (deltoid) in adults 
• in the muscle of the arm (deltoid) or in the muscle of the thigh (muscle is on the outside of the leg in the mid- to upper-thigh) for children

Since this vaccine is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.