immunization for travel

In medicine, advised immunization for travellers. Although immunization against infectious diseases is rarely an essential legal requirement to enter a country, immunization is often advisable to protect the traveller from diseases not encountered at home. It is necessary to plan ahead for immunizations as some require more than one dose of vaccine and some cannot be given at the same time. General practitioners and travel health centres provide the most up-to-date advice on the immunizations recommended for travelling.

In general, travellers to all countries should have immunity to tetanus and poliomyelitis and childhood immunizations should be up to date. Additional immunizations are required in non-European areas surrounding the Mediterranean, in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and South America.

Typhoid Typhoid vaccine is indicated for travellers to areas where typhoid is endemic, such as Asia and South America. However, vaccination is no substitution for good hygiene. Food should be freshly prepared and hot and uncooked vegetables, including salads, should be avoided. Fruit should be peeled. Drinking water should be bottled, boiled or treated with water sterilising tablets.

Cholera Cholera vaccine provides little protection against this disease and good hygiene is particularly important in countries where cholera is endemic.

Meningitis There is a high incidence of meningococcal meningitis in some Asian countries and in southern sub-Saharan Africa and vaccination is recommended for these areas.

Hepatitis A Immunization against hepatitis A is advisable for people visiting Asia and Africa.

Yellow fever International certificates of vaccination against yellow fever are still required for travel to many countries in Africa and South America.

Malaria In addition to vaccination, travellers should take a course of antimalarial tablets if they are visiting areas in which malaria is endemic. Resistance to older antimalarial drugs has developed in some areas, such as central Africa, and it is essential to take this into account when requesting drugs for malaria prophylaxis.

The risks of being in contact with diseases such as hepatitis and typhoid are reduced for people staying for a short time in first-class accommodation. Immunization is especially important for people who are planning long backpacking trips or for those who are intending to work in rural areas of the countries visited. Additional immunizations, such as rabies vaccine and Japanese encephalitis vaccine, may be needed for people visiting very remote areas.