Vaccination Program

Vaccine Information

Travel Vaccine

Typhoid Vaccine

Typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. Typhoid fever is still common in the developing world, where it affects about 12.5 million persons each year. It can be prevented and can usually be treated with antibiotics. If you are planning to travel to Asia, Africa, South America, you should be vaccinated.

Salmonella Typhi lives only in humans. Persons with typhoid fever carry the bacteria in their bloodstream and intestinal tract. A small number of persons, called carriers , recover from typhoid fever but continue to carry the bacteria. Both ill persons and carriers shed S. Typhi in their feces (stool). You can get typhoid fever if you eat food or drink beverages that have been handled by a person who is shedding S. Typhi or if sewage contaminated with S. Typhi bacteria gets into the water you use for drinking or washing food. Therefore, typhoid fever is more common in areas of the world where hand-washing is less frequent and water is likely to be contaminated with sewage.

Once S. Typhi bacteria are ingested, they multiply and spread into the bloodstream. The body reacts with fever and other signs and symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting. The BEST way to prevent typhoid fever is to be vaccinated and wash hand and food with clean water. Typhoid vaccine usually involves a single injection which lasts for approximately three years.

Typhoid Vaccine Patient Information pdf
Typhoid Vaccine Fact Sheet pdf

Rabies Vaccine

Yellow Fever Vaccine

  • Yellow fever is an infection caused by a virus. It is a tropical disease that is spread to humans by infected mosquitoes.
  • Many yellow fever infections are mild, but the disease can cause severe, life-threatening illness.
  • Yellow fever is found only in Africa and South America.
  • Yellow fever is preventable by immunization. Travelers to countries with yellow fever should get the yellow fever vaccine.
  • The vaccination comprises a single subcutaneous injection administered from 9 months old.
  • The vaccine produces at least 10 years of immunity in nearly 100% of recipients.
  • Yellow fever vaccination certificate is now the only international vaccine certificate required for entry into countries.
  • Travelers should remember that the international certificate is valid only 10 days after the primary immunization, therefore adequate time should be allowed for vaccination before departure.
  • Booster dose is required every 10 years.
  • Please check with your doctor if you need the vaccination for yellow fever.
  • The Yellow fever vaccine is provided at Port Health Travel Health Centre

    • Travel Health Centre ( Hong Kong ), Department of Health Room 26, 18/F Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai . Ph: 2961 8840

    Travel Health Centre ( Kowloon ), Department of Health 1/F Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Sham Shui Po. Ph: 2150 7235

  • Yellow Fever Vaccine Fact Sheet pdf

    • Hepatitis A Vaccine

    The Hepatitis A vaccine can be given to adults and children. It is recommend for people living in Hong Kong, especially anyone who is required to travel frequently to mainland China or other South East Asian countries for work or leisure.

    A single injection of the hepatitis A vaccine can induce immunity lasting for 3 years. However most people would choose to have a second injection within 6 to 12 months, so that their protection is extended to over 10 years. For those with no immunity to hepatitis B they may have Twinrix, a combined hepatitis A and B vaccine that reduces the number of injections from 5 to 3.

    Hepatitis B Vaccine

    For anyone without the antibody for hepatitis B who is not a hepatitis B carrier, we recommended they have a vaccination against hepatitis. This consists of 3 doses of injections given at 0, 1, 6 months. After the injections, over 90% of people will develop antibodies and be protected. In general, high-risk individuals such as health care workers, and people in close contact with carriers we recommended they have a booster injection every 5 years. For anyone else every 10 years is usually sufficient.