Dr. Vaccines
Typhoid Fever Vaccination
Typhoid remains common across India. The conjugate vaccine gives longer protection than the older polysaccharide one and works in young children.
Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella Typhi and spreads through food and water contaminated with faecal matter. India carries one of the highest typhoid burdens in the world, and the rise of drug-resistant strains has made prevention considerably more important than it was two decades ago.
The disease is not a brief stomach upset. Untreated typhoid runs for weeks with sustained high fever and can lead to intestinal perforation. Antibiotic resistance, including extensively drug-resistant strains reported in the region, has narrowed the treatment options that used to make this straightforward.
At a glance
| Vaccine or test | Status | Schedule | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) | Recommended | Single dose from 6 months of age | The current preferred option. Conjugating the Vi antigen to a carrier protein produces a stronger, longer-lasting immune response and, unlike the polysaccharide vaccine, works properly in infants and young children. Protection lasts several years from a single dose. |
| Vi polysaccharide vaccine | Conditional | Single dose from 2 years, repeat every 3 years | The older option. Effective but shorter-lived, needs repeating every three years, and does not work reliably under 2 years of age. Still used where TCV is unavailable. |
| Oral live attenuated (Ty21a) | Conditional | Capsules over several days, from 6 years | Taken by mouth rather than injected. Not widely used in India. Being a live vaccine, it is unsuitable during immunosuppression, and antibiotics interfere with it. |
Why the conjugate vaccine changed things
The older Vi polysaccharide vaccine works by presenting a sugar antigen that the immune system responds to without forming strong immune memory. That produces adequate but short-lived protection, and it does not work in infants, whose immune systems handle polysaccharide antigens poorly.
Conjugating that antigen to a carrier protein changes the response entirely. It recruits a different arm of the immune system, produces lasting memory, and works from six months of age. This is the same principle that transformed Hib and pneumococcal vaccination.
Who should have it
In an endemic country the case is broader than travel alone.
- Children, who carry a disproportionate share of typhoid cases in India.
- Anyone travelling to or within higher-risk regions.
- People eating frequently from street vendors or outside the home.
- Households on unreliable or untreated water supplies.
- Food handlers and people working in sanitation.
- Laboratory staff who may handle Salmonella Typhi.
- Household contacts of a known chronic carrier.
What the vaccine does not cover
Typhoid vaccines protect against Salmonella Typhi. They give no protection against paratyphoid fever, caused by Salmonella Paratyphi, which produces a similar illness and is also common in the region.
Nor do they replace food and water precautions. Vaccine efficacy is good but not absolute, and the same contaminated water that carries typhoid also carries hepatitis A, hepatitis E and cholera, none of which the typhoid vaccine touches.
Drug resistance is the reason this became urgent
Typhoid was once reliably treatable with inexpensive first-line antibiotics. Resistant strains, including extensively drug-resistant lineages reported in South Asia, have pushed treatment towards more expensive drugs with fewer alternatives behind them. Prevention has become correspondingly more valuable.
Frequently asked questions
Which typhoid vaccine is best?
The typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) is generally preferred. It produces longer-lasting protection than the older Vi polysaccharide vaccine and can be given from 6 months of age, where the polysaccharide vaccine does not work reliably under 2 years.
How long does the typhoid vaccine last?
The conjugate vaccine gives several years of protection from a single dose. The older Vi polysaccharide vaccine needs repeating roughly every three years.
Do I need a typhoid vaccine if I live in India?
It is worth considering. India has one of the highest typhoid burdens globally, and risk is not limited to travel. It is linked to food and water exposure in daily life. It is particularly recommended for children and for households on uncertain water supplies.
Does the typhoid vaccine protect against paratyphoid?
No. Typhoid vaccines target Salmonella Typhi only. Paratyphoid fever is caused by Salmonella Paratyphi and is not covered, which is one reason food and water precautions still matter after vaccination.
From what age can children have the typhoid vaccine?
The conjugate vaccine can be given from 6 months. This is a significant advantage in India, where young children carry a large share of the typhoid burden.
Book your typhoid vaccination
A single conjugate dose covers you for several years and can be given from six months of age, so the whole family can be seen in one appointment.
Before you rely on this page
This page is general health information, not personal medical advice. Vaccine schedules depend on your age, medical history, pregnancy status, medications and previous immunisations. Our doctors will confirm what is right for you at your appointment. National recommendations are also revised periodically. We review these pages against current Indian and WHO guidance.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-01
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