Oral Cholera Vaccine Worldwide

Cholera is a potentially life-threatening, often water borne disease caused by bacterial infection. The infection causes watery diarrhoea leading to rapid dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. It is this dehydration which is potentially fatal. It is highly-infectious, causing a number of epidemics and pandemics.   For adults and children over six years of age, two doses of the vaccine (Dukoal) are needed to protect against Cholera for two years. After this, a booster will be required. The vaccine is taken orally (by mouth), as a small amount of liquid to be swallowed. Children aged two to six years old will need to have three doses of the vaccine. This will protect them for six months, after which time they will need to have a booster. Each dose of the vaccine costs £20.

Occupational Health Vaccination

What is Shingles? Shingles is an infection of a nerve and the area of skin supplied by the nerve. It is caused by a virus called the Varicella-zoster virus (this is the same virus that causes chickenpox). Shingles is sometimes called Herpes zoster. The symptoms of Shingles starts with tingling or burning in an area of the skin and is followed by the eruption of a painful rash usually on one side of the body or face that takes 2-4 weeks to resolve.  Shingles can occur at any age, but it is most common in people over the age of 50 years. About 1 in 4 people develop Shingles during their lifetime. It is also possible to get Shingles more than once, although fortunately fewer than 10% of people who have a first attack will have another one. Can Shingles be prevented? The good news is that there is now a Shingles vaccine available to people aged 50 and over. It has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of older people developing Shingles, and even if you do develop Shingles then the disease is likely to affect you less severely. A national immunisation programme is available for those aged 70 - 79, but is being introduced in phases.  Can I be vaccinated privately?At Armada Travel Clinic we can offer it for those aged 50 or over. The vaccine is a single dose injection at a cost of £149. Please contact Armada Travel Clinic for further information or to book an appointment.

Oral Cholera: Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by the enterotoxin subunit-A of Vibrio cholerae. Cholera is a water-borne infection caught through ingestion of faecally contaminated water or shellfish. Person-to-person spread via the faeco-oral route can also occur. The incubation period is usually 2-5 days. However, it can sometimes be a few hours. 75% of those infected are asymptomatic.[1] Cholera is prevalent in areas with poor sanitation and food and water hygiene and constitutes a major global public health problem. Without treatment, severe infection has a mortality rate of 30-50%. The disease is endemic to parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America. Large outbreaks are common after natural disasters or in populations displaced by war, where inadequate sewage disposal and contaminated water exist. Certification of vaccination against cholera is no longer a requirement for entry into any country. Food, drink and oral medications must be avoided for one hour before and one hour after vaccination. Effervescent sodium hydrogen carbonate granules are dissolved in water (150 ml for adults, and pour half away for children aged 2-6 years) and mixed with 3 mls of vaccine suspension.[2] The solution must be ingested within two hours of reconstitution.The oral cholera vaccine can be given at the same time as other injected vaccines. Adults and children over 6 years of age - two doses of oral vaccine are given with a 1- to 6-week interval. Children aged 2-6 years - three doses of vaccine are necessary but each dose is given with a similar 1- to 6-week interval. Should more than six weeks elapse between any doses, the primary immunisation course must be restarted. All individuals must complete the immunisation course at least one week prior to potential exposure. Boosters - a single booster to augment immunity is recommended:Adults and children over 6 years of age. A booster can be given two years after the primary co

Typhoid: Typhoid fever is a systemic infection caused by the Gram-negative bacillus Salmonella typhi. It is spread by the faecal-oral route and is therefore associated with poor sanitation and personal hygiene: Over 200 cases are notified in Britain each year. Most of these are contracted from people visiting friends and relatives (VFRs) in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Typhoid is endemic to areas of poor sanitation, eg Africa, Asia, Central and Southern America and the Caribbean. Avoiding contaminated water can help in preventing infection, but vaccination is recommended. The incubation period is 1-3 weeks. Around 10% of people infected can excrete the bacteria for up to three months. Nearly half become permanent carriers.[1]