Typhoid Vaccine in London
Travelling to South Asia, Africa or Latin America? Check if typhoid vaccination fits your plans and book a private travel health appointment.
Typhoid vaccination before higher-risk trips
Food and water precautions matter, but they do not remove typhoid risk entirely. If you are travelling to South Asia, parts of Africa, or areas of Central and South America where sanitation is unreliable, typhoid vaccination may belong on your pre-travel list. At City Of London Clinic, in London, we can talk through your route, timing, previous vaccines and any medical factors before you decide what you need.
Food and water precautions matter, but they do not remove typhoid risk entirely. If you are travelling to South Asia, parts of Africa, or areas of Central and South America where sanitation is unreliable, typhoid vaccination may belong on your pre-travel list. At City Of London Clinic, in London, we can talk through your route, timing, previous vaccines and any medical factors before you decide what you need.
A food and water infection that can become serious
Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella Typhi bacteria. A closely related illness, paratyphoid fever, is caused by Salmonella Paratyphi. Both are often grouped as enteric fever, and both are usually caught by swallowing contaminated food or water. For travellers, the usual risk is not an obviously dirty glass of water. It might be ice in a drink, salad washed in unsafe water, street food handled after poor hand hygiene, or a buffet dish kept lukewarm for too long. The bacteria can pass into food and water where sanitation is poor, especially if someone carrying the infection handles food. Illness can include fever, headache, abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhoea, and marked tiredness. It needs medical assessment and antibiotics, but antibiotic resistance has become a real problem in several regions, including South Asia. That makes prevention more valuable than simply assuming treatment will be easy to access abroad.
Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella Typhi bacteria. A closely related illness, paratyphoid fever, is caused by Salmonella Paratyphi. Both are often grouped as enteric fever, and both are usually caught by swallowing contaminated food or water. For travellers, the usual risk is not an obviously dirty glass of water. It might be ice in a drink, salad washed in unsafe water, street food handled after poor hand hygiene, or a buffet dish kept lukewarm for too long. The bacteria can pass into food and water where sanitation is poor, especially if someone carrying the infection handles food. Illness can include fever, headache, abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhoea, and marked tiredness. It needs medical assessment and antibiotics, but antibiotic resistance has become a real problem in several regions, including South Asia. That makes prevention more valuable than simply assuming treatment will be easy to access abroad.
What the typhoid vaccine can and cannot do
Typhoid vaccination reduces your risk of typhoid fever. It does not protect against paratyphoid, and it is not a licence to ignore food and water hygiene. You still need the dull but useful rules: choose food cooked hot, avoid unsafe water, be wary of ice, and clean your hands before eating. In the UK, typhoid vaccination is usually given either as a single injectable vaccine or, where suitable, as an oral capsule course. The injectable vaccine is commonly used from 2 years of age. The oral vaccine is used only for older children and adults, and it may not suit people with certain medical conditions or those taking particular medicines. We will check suitability rather than assume. Try to book at least two weeks before travel if you can. That gives your immune system time to respond and leaves room to deal with other travel vaccines, such as hepatitis A, if they are also recommended. Protection is not lifelong; if you keep travelling to risk areas, a booster may be advised after around 3 years.
Typhoid vaccination reduces your risk of typhoid fever. It does not protect against paratyphoid, and it is not a licence to ignore food and water hygiene. You still need the dull but useful rules: choose food cooked hot, avoid unsafe water, be wary of ice, and clean your hands before eating. In the UK, typhoid vaccination is usually given either as a single injectable vaccine or, where suitable, as an oral capsule course. The injectable vaccine is commonly used from 2 years of age. The oral vaccine is used only for older children and adults, and it may not suit people with certain medical conditions or those taking particular medicines. We will check suitability rather than assume. Try to book at least two weeks before travel if you can. That gives your immune system time to respond and leaves room to deal with other travel vaccines, such as hepatitis A, if they are also recommended. Protection is not lifelong; if you keep travelling to risk areas, a booster may be advised after around 3 years.
Trips where typhoid risk is higher
Typhoid vaccination is commonly considered for travel to the Indian subcontinent, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, where UK travellers account for many imported cases. It may also be advised for parts of Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, the Middle East, Central America and South America. The need is sharper if you will stay with friends or relatives, eat locally outside tourist hotels, travel for several weeks, work in healthcare or humanitarian settings, or visit smaller towns and rural areas. Short hotel-based trips can still carry some risk, but the recommendation may be different from a month of local travel by bus with family meals and roadside stops.
Typhoid vaccination is commonly considered for travel to the Indian subcontinent, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, where UK travellers account for many imported cases. It may also be advised for parts of Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, the Middle East, Central America and South America. The need is sharper if you will stay with friends or relatives, eat locally outside tourist hotels, travel for several weeks, work in healthcare or humanitarian settings, or visit smaller towns and rural areas. Short hotel-based trips can still carry some risk, but the recommendation may be different from a month of local travel by bus with family meals and roadside stops.
Plan it while your itinerary is still changeable
Typhoid vaccination is usually straightforward, but travel schedules rarely are. Bring your destinations, dates, previous vaccine history and any regular medicines to the appointment. City Of London Clinic is on Goswell Road, convenient for people coming from Farringdon and Moorgate during the working week. If your trip is getting close, book early enough for a proper travel health check rather than squeezing it in at the last minute.
Typhoid vaccination is usually straightforward, but travel schedules rarely are. Bring your destinations, dates, previous vaccine history and any regular medicines to the appointment. City Of London Clinic is on Goswell Road, convenient for people coming from Farringdon and Moorgate during the working week. If your trip is getting close, book early enough for a proper travel health check rather than squeezing it in at the last minute.
FAQ
Travel Health FAQs
Find clear answers to the most common travel health and malaria prevention questions.
Find clear answers to the most common travel health and malaria prevention questions.
How soon before travel should I get the typhoid vaccine?
Aim for at least two weeks before you leave, especially if you may need other travel vaccines at the same appointment. If you are travelling sooner, it is still worth asking; the advice may change depending on your departure date and destination.
Do I need typhoid vaccine for India or Pakistan?
Can children have the typhoid vaccine?
What side effects can happen after typhoid vaccination?
If I had a typhoid jab years ago, do I need another one?
How soon before travel should I get the typhoid vaccine?
Aim for at least two weeks before you leave, especially if you may need other travel vaccines at the same appointment. If you are travelling sooner, it is still worth asking; the advice may change depending on your departure date and destination.
Do I need typhoid vaccine for India or Pakistan?
Can children have the typhoid vaccine?
What side effects can happen after typhoid vaccination?
If I had a typhoid jab years ago, do I need another one?
Speak to the team or arrange your visit
If you are comparing clinics or unsure which service you need, we are happy to help. Call the clinic, send us a message or visit us on Goswell Road to speak with the team.
We are easy to reach from the City of London, Farringdon, Moorgate, Liverpool Street, King’s Cross and surrounding central London areas.
CoL
C
City Of London
Clinic
36 Goswell Rd., Golden Lane Estate, London EC1M 7AA
info@cityoflondonclinic.co.uk
Hours
Monday
9am - 6:30pm
Tuesday
9am - 6:30pm
Wednesday
9am - 6:30pm
Thursday
9am - 6:30pm
Friday
9am - 6:30pm
Saturday
9am - 2pm
Sunday
Closed
Speak to the team or arrange your visit
If you are comparing clinics or unsure which service you need, we are happy to help. Call the clinic, send us a message or visit us on Goswell Road to speak with the team.
We are easy to reach from the City of London, Farringdon, Moorgate, Liverpool Street, King’s Cross and surrounding central London areas.
CoL
C
City Of London
Clinic
36 Goswell Rd., Golden Lane Estate, London EC1M 7AA
info@cityoflondonclinic.co.uk
Hours
Monday
9am - 6:30pm
Tuesday
9am - 6:30pm
Wednesday
9am - 6:30pm
Thursday
9am - 6:30pm
Friday
9am - 6:30pm
Saturday
9am - 2pm
Sunday
Closed
Speak to the team or arrange your visit
If you are comparing clinics or unsure which service you need, we are happy to help. Call the clinic, send us a message or visit us on Goswell Road to speak with the team.
We are easy to reach from the City of London, Farringdon, Moorgate, Liverpool Street, King’s Cross and surrounding central London areas.
36 Goswell Rd., Golden Lane Estate, London EC1M 7AA
info@cityoflondonclinic.co.uk
Hours
Monday
9am - 6:30pm
Tuesday
9am - 6:30pm
Wednesday
9am - 6:30pm
Thursday
9am - 6:30pm
Friday
9am - 6:30pm
Saturday
9am - 2pm
Sunday
Closed
City Of London
Clinic
CoL
C
