Summary of the Statement on International Travellers and Typhoid by the Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT)

Abstract

Typhoid fever is an enteric febrile illness with symptoms that range from mild to potentially fatal. Among Canadians it is usually acquired during travel to typhoid endemic countries. The Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT) assembled a typhoid working group to update recommendations on typhoid and international travel. This document is a summary of the new typhoid statement. Methods: Following a systematic review of the literature, typhoid vaccine recommendations were developed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology to evaluate data quality, benefits and harms, and values and preferences. The literature search focused on systematic reviews of typhoid vaccine efficacy and identified studies of disease burden, pathogenesis, risk factors and prevention. Other recommendations were based on a review of the retrieved literature and expert opinion. Results: Typhoid vaccine is moderately effective (~50%), well tolerated, with very low risk of serious adverse events. Studies of typhoid vaccine efficacy, morbidity or mortality among travellers were not found, although studies on populations in typhoid endemic countries were identified. Among travellers, destination of travel is the strongest and most consistent typhoid risk predictor; the highest risk was for travel to South Asia. Confidence in effect estimates for other potential risk factors was very low. Recommendations: CATMAT suggests that typhoid vaccine (Ty21a or Vi polysaccharide vaccine) be used for most Canadian travellers visiting South Asia and not used for most Canadian travellers visiting destinations other than South Asia. The recommendations are conditional, due to the moderate confidence in the effect estimate. For destinations other than South Asia, providers should discuss risks and vaccine benefits and harms with the traveller as well as recommend basic hygiene precautions.