Demerol (Meperidine Tablets) and Vivotif Berna

• Generic Name: meperidine
• Dosage Forms: tablet
• Other Brand Names: Demerol, Demerol HCl, Meperitab

• It is used to ease pain.
• It may be given to you for other reasons. Talk with the doctor.

• Generic Name: typhoid vaccine, live
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Vivotif Berna

Typhoid (also called "typhoid fever") is a serious disease caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria. Untreated typhoid infection may lead to kidney failure, or intestinal bleeding, which can be fatal. If the infection spreads to your gallbladder, you could become a chronic carrier of the bacteria that causes typhoid. A carrier may have no symptoms but is capable of spreading the infection to others.

Typhoid is spread through contact with the stool (bowel movements) of a person infected with the bacteria. This usually occurs by eating food or drinking water that has become contaminated with feces from an infected person. Once in the digestive tract, typhoid infection can spread to the blood and other parts of the body.

Typhoid can cause high fever, muscle aches, severe headache, weakness, confusion or agitation, loss of appetite, stomach pain, diarrhea or constipation, and rose-colored spots on the skin.

Typhoid vaccine is used to help prevent this disease in adults and children who are at least 6 years old. Although not part of a routine immunization schedule in the U.S., typhoid vaccine is recommended for:

• people who travel to area where typhoid fever is common (non-industrialized parts of the world, especially Asia, Africa, and Central or South America);

• people who live with someone who is a typhoid carrier; and

• laboratory workers who may come into contact with Salmonella typhi in a work setting.

This vaccine works by exposing you to a small amount of the bacteria, which causes your body to develop immunity to the disease.

Typhoid vaccine will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body, and will not prevent any disease caused by bacteria other than Salmonella typhi.

Like any vaccine, the typhoid vaccine may not provide protection from disease in every person.