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Typhoid fever

Typhoid fever is an infection spread through unclean food or water. It can cause serious problems if not treated. You should have a typhoid vaccination if you're travelling to an area where there's a risk of getting it.

Check if you're at risk of typhoid fever

You can get typhoid fever by drinking unclean water, or eating food that has not been cooked thoroughly or washed with clean water.

Typhoid is found in parts of Asia, Africa, and Central and South America.

In the UK, most people who get it have recently travelled to:

  • India
  • Pakistan
  • Bangladesh
Information:

Check before you travel

You can get health advice for a country you're travelling to on the TravelHealthPro website

How to lower your risk of typhoid fever

Good hygiene can help stop you catching or spreading typhoid fever if you're travelling to an area where there is a risk of getting it.

Do

  • regularly wash your hands with soap and warm water, especially after using the toilet, and before preparing food or eating food

  • use sanitiser gel if soap and clean water are not available to wash your hands

  • use bottled water or cooled boiled water to brush your teeth

  • drink bottled drinks and cans, or drinks made with boiled water

  • eat food that has been recently and thoroughly cooked, and is served hot

Don’t

  • do not have ice in your drinks

  • do not eat raw or lightly cooked meat or seafood

  • do not eat salads or uncooked fruit and vegetables that you have not washed or peeled yourself

  • do not have dairy products – like milk, cheese, yoghurt or ice cream – made from unpasteurised milk

  • do not eat food that has been left uncovered

  • do not prepare or serve food for other people if you have or think you may have typhoid fever

Get vaccinated against typhoid fever

A vaccine for typhoid fever is available for free on the NHS.

It's usually recommended for anyone over 1 year old when travelling to an area where there is a high risk of catching typhoid.

Check advice for where you're going and try to see a GP 6 to 8 weeks before travelling.

The vaccine lasts for 3 years and comes as either an injection or tablets.

Information:

There's still a chance of getting typhoid if you've been vaccinated, so it's important to practise good hygiene when you're travelling.

Symptoms of typhoid fever

Symptoms of typhoid fever usually begin within 3 weeks of being infected but sometimes can take up to 6 weeks.

Symptoms of typhoid include:

  • high temperature, which may slowly get worse over a few days
  • headache
  • coughing
  • chills, aches and pains
  • feeling tired or sick
  • not pooing as often as normal or finding it hard to poo (constipation)
  • not feeling hungry

Tummy ache and diarrhoea are also common, but these usually happen after the other symptoms.

Some people also get a rash of light-pink spots, usually on the upper body. This can be hard to see on black or brown skin.

If typhoid fever is not treated, it can lead to serious problems like internal bleeding or an infection in the lining of the tummy (peritonitis).

Urgent advice: Get help from NHS 111 if:

  • you have travelled to an area with typhoid fever and feel unwell, even if you have been vaccinated
  • you have been treated for typhoid fever and your symptoms get worse, do not get better or have come back

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.

Tell anyone you speak to about your recent travel.

If you're still abroad, get medical help where you are as soon as possible. Do not wait until you get back to the UK.

Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E if:

  • you get a sudden stomach pain that keeps getting worse
  • your poo is black or dark red
  • you vomit blood or have vomit that looks like ground coffee
Find your nearest A&E
Information:

Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring any medicines you take with you.

Tests for typhoid fever

If there's chance you could have typhoid fever, your blood, poo and pee will be tested to check for it.

You may need to go to hospital to have these tests.

Treatment for typhoid fever

Typhoid fever is treated with antibiotics. You may also be given medicine to lower your temperature.

You should start to feel better but may continue to have a high temperature for around 5 days after starting treatment.

It's important to finish all the antibiotics you're given even if you feel better.

Information:

You may have to stay off work until tests of your poo show you no longer have typhoid fever if you work in certain jobs, such as with food, in healthcare or with young children.

Children under 5 may also need to stay off school or nursery until tests show they are not infected.

Complications of typhoid fever

Most people who are treated make a full recovery from typhoid fever with no other problems.

Sometimes your symptoms can come back (relapse). This usually happens within 2 weeks of finishing treatment, but it can be at any time.

If your symptoms come back, you will need further treatment.

A small number of people become carriers. This is when you recover from typhoid but can still spread it to other people for months or years after.

Page last reviewed: 02 July 2025
Next review due: 02 July 2028