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How do you prevent typhoid fever?
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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Prevention of typhoid fever consists of observing sanitary and hygienic requirements: proper water supply, construction of sewerage systems, strict adherence to the technology of preparation, transportation and sale of food products, especially those that are not subjected to heat treatment before consumption.
Early detection and isolation of typhoid fever patients and those excreting the bacteria remains critical in preventing the spread of infection in children's groups and family settings.
Those who have recovered from typhoid fever are subject to dispensary observation and laboratory testing. Bacteriological examination is carried out no later than the 10th day after discharge from the hospital 5 times, with an interval of 1-2 days. In the following 3 months, feces and urine are examined once a month, then (for 2 years) - once a quarter three times. If the results of these studies are negative (except for decreed categories of the population), those who have recovered from typhoid fever are removed from the SES register.
In the center of infection, final and ongoing disinfection is carried out. Contacts of typhoid fever are subject to medical observation for 21 days from the moment of isolation of the patient, bacteriological examination of feces and urine is carried out once every 10 days. Typhoid bacteriophage is used as a means of emergency prevention in typhoid fever foci. Children from family foci attending preschool institutions are not allowed to these institutions until negative results of bacteriological examination are received. If carriage of typhoid bacteria is detected in older children, they can attend children's groups, but they are subject to careful medical observation.
Active immunizationis carried out according to epidemiological indications and only in children over 7 years of age. In recent years, typhoid fever vaccination in a dose of 1 ml or typhoid alcohol vaccine enriched with Vi-antigen has been used for the immunoprophylaxis of typhoid fever. Revaccination is carried out no earlier than 6 months and no later than 1 year. The prophylactic effectiveness of vaccination is 67%. Previously produced vaccines for the immunoprophylaxis of typhoid fever (typhoid-paratyphoid-tetanus, typhoid-paratyphoid, etc.) have been discontinued and are not currently used.
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