Date - 25 May 2005

Source- Drugs in Context 2005; 1(6): ViATIM^® - Hepatitis A/Typhoid Fever p337

Author - Dr Rebecca Fox-Spencer

In order to improve compliance in individuals travelling to regions where numerous infectious diseases are endemic, it may be desirable to combine more than one vaccine in a single syringe. The overlapping epidemiology of hepatitis A and typhoid fever has led to the development of ViATIM^®, a vaccine comprising a capsular Vi polysaccharide vaccine,Typhim Vi^®, and an inactivated hepatitis A vaccine, Avaxim^®. Two single-blind comparative trials and one open-label trial have demonstrated that the immune response to each component vaccine is not impaired when they are injected in combination. The frequency of local reactions is greater with ViATIM than each of the monovalent vaccines, but less than the cumulative rate of local reactions when Typhim Vi and Avaxim are administered concurrently at different sites. These reactions are generally mild or moderate in severity, and most commonly relate to pain at the injection site. Systemic reactions, the most common of which is headache, are also mainly mild or moderate in severity. The side-effects reported following vaccination with ViATIM are generally transient, resolving spontaneously without sequelae.

Keywords: Hepatitis A, typhoid fever, ViATIM^®,Avaxim®, Typhim Vi^®, combination vaccines