what vaccinations to travel overseas
Introduction
You could become ill from infectious diseases or other health issues while travelling abroad. Find out in advance what vaccines and other precautions are necessary for your destination. Sometimes the vaccinations can be useful like Rabies which if left untreated for a couple of weeks can kill you. Unless you are going to live in third world country enviroment i wouldn’t be too concerned.
Traveling to a foreign country is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences you can have. The adventure, culture, and food all add up to make for a great trip abroad. But with all that excitement comes some health concerns that might not be immediately obvious—specifically, some vaccinations are still required by many countries around the world. This list includes shots you should get before leaving on your trip or at least before entering through customs:
financial dangers
If you get sick or hurt, your medical expenses could be very expensive.
The cost of your own medical care will be required.
Loss of pre-paid activities, lodging, or flights may incur costs, as well as emergency food, lodging, or adjustments to your companions’ flights.
You cannot use your current countries health system unless they have bilateral health arrangement when you are abroad.
The cost will be borne by you, your family, or your travel insurance.
Emergency room stays abroad frequently cost several thousand dollars per day.
If you have an infectious ailment, they could have to quarantine you, which will cost much more than going to the emergency room.
You might not receive treatment if you are unable to pay your fee up front.
even during a medical crisis.
If you get treatment and then can’t pay your bill, you could be arrested or jailed
of your health bill.
Research your destination’s health risks
Health risks can vary between destinations. When you know the risks, you know what vaccinations and preventative health measures you can take.
Talk to your doctor or travel clinic.
Read about key health risks in our travel advice for your destination.
See the World Health Organisation (the WHO) advice on infectious disease risks for travellers.
Check travel guides and online travel resources for your destination.
Some places have clinics dedicated to travel vaccination.
hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a liver infection that causes acute liver inflammation and can lead to long-term health problems. The best way to prevent hepatitis A is by getting vaccinated before you travel.
As with any vaccine, it takes about two weeks for the body to develop antibodies after vaccination. This means you’ll need to be vaccinated at least 14 days before your trip begins. If possible, get yourself vaccinated as soon as possible because this will allow your immune system time to produce immunity against hepatitis A when it’s needed most—when we are exposed through our environment or through us having contact with other people infected with the virus (elderly travelers).
If there’s any chance of exposure while traveling abroad then consider getting yourself vaccinated–even if it’s only one dose! The risk of getting infected while traveling abroad is very low compared with what would happen if someone wasn’t immunized against this disease; however there are still risks involved so make sure not only that those around you are well aware but also use common sense when deciding whether or not something needs saying aloud during conversation
hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a contagious disease that causes inflammation of the liver. It can be spread through blood or body fluids, as well as sexual contact. Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea and fatigue. Hepatitis B is treated with antiviral medications to reduce symptoms and prevent further damage to your liver or other organs (such as your kidneys).
The hepatitis B vaccine protects you against this infection by preventing it from entering your body when you’re exposed to contaminated blood or bodily fluid from someone who has been diagnosed with hepatitis B but not yet gotten treatment for it
The vaccine is recommended for all children and adults who are at risk for hepatitis B infection. If you’re pregnant, it’s especially important that you get the hepatitis B vaccine to protect yourself and your baby from getting this disease.
influenza
You could be vaccinated against influenza every year, but generally it’s not recommended to get the vaccine if you are healthy and fit . The vaccine may protect you from flu viruses circulating in your area—not all strains of the virus are contained in this shot.
Influenza is spread through coughing and sneezing, as well as contact with infected people and objects like doorknobs or keyboards on planes. It can also be spread by touching a person who is sick with flu (you don’t want to touch your face).
Symptoms include fever, muscle aches and fatigue; nausea; dry cough; sore throat that doesn’t go away after drinking liquids without spitting them out; runny nose; stuffy nose/sinus congestion (if it lasts longer than two days); headache/migraine-like pain behind one eye that spreads to other sides of head (meningitis); loss of appetite/vomiting /diarrhea
Mosquito borne diseases
Japanese encephalitis
Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito-borne disease that’s most prevalent in rural areas of Asia, including India, China and Thailand. Symptoms include high fever and headache, along with vomiting and seizures. The virus can lead to brain swelling and death if not treated quickly by an anti-viral medication like ribavirin or valganciclovir (brand name Cervarix).
It’s recommended that all travelers to rural areas of Asia receive one dose of vaccine before going abroad—and it should be renewed every 10 years after that as long as you’ve been vaccinated within the last 5 years or so.
Yellow fever
Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are also responsible for the transmission of yellow fever, so named because the virus causes jaundice (yellowing of eyes and skin due to impaired liver function).
Symptoms in mild cases include fever, headaches, chills, back pain, fatigue, jaundice, vomiting and bleeding from the mouth, nose, eyes or stomach. These generally clear within five days. Approximately 50% of the small number of patients who develop severe symptoms will die with 10 days of becoming infected. Yellow fever can be diagnosed by PCR or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Although there is no treatment for yellow fever, a very effective vaccine is widely available. A single vaccine dose provides lifelong immunity, so all individuals living in or travelling to areas endemic for yellow fever should take the vaccine.
Dengue
The dengue virus is one of the top 10 worldwide health concerns, according to the World Health Organization.
One of the mosquito-borne diseases that spreads the fastest is this one.
The risk of infection affects at least 50% of the world’s population.
Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes disseminate the dengue virus, just like they do the chikungunya virus.
Since both viruses have similar control measures and non-specific symptoms such headaches, rashes, fevers, and aches in the muscles and joints, they are frequently misdiagnosed.
The majority of dengue cases in people are asymptomatic or only exhibit minor symptoms that last two to seven days.
In some people, the dengue virus progresses to a serious illness with symptoms like chronic vomiting, bleeding gums or a runny nose, and an enlarged liver.
As these problems may be fatal, this needs to be handled as a medical emergency.
A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test or a fast diagnostic test can be used to identify the dengue virus.
However, there is no available treatment.
A vaccination has been created and authorised for use in a few nations.
Other diseases
Tuberculosis
TB is spread through the air when a person with active TB coughs, sneezes, shouts, speaks or sings and other people nearby breathe in the bacteria. It is usually spread when somebody has a run down immune system.
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that damages the lungs or other parts of the body and can cause serious illness and death. TB is caused by the bacterium (germ) Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
There are 2 types of TB: active and inactive (latent) TB disease.
Latent TB is when someone is infected with TB bacteria but does not get sick because their body is able to fight off the infection. Latent TB is not infectious.
Active TB is when the bacteria multiply and grow, and the immune system is not able to fight them off. Active TB causes symptoms and is infectious.
How is tuberculosis treated?
For latent TB, your doctor can prescribe tablets to reduce the risk of you developing active TB.
For active TB, you will be prescribed a combination of special antibiotics, which you must take for at least 6 months.
You may need initial treatment in hospital. If you complete the full treatment, you can be cured of TB disease.
Cholera
Cholera is an illness caused by infection of the intestine with the Vibrio cholerae bacteria. Infection may cause severe diarrhoea and, as a result, dehydration. It is most likely to be found in parts of the world with poor quality water and sanitation. the disease is not likely to spread from person to person; therefore, casual contact with an infected person is not a risk factor for cholera.
meningococcal disease
Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial infection that can be fatal. It is spread through close contact with the nose and throat secretions of an infected person, so it’s not uncommon for people to get sick after being kissed or touched by someone who has the disease.
If you’re traveling overseas, it’s important to speak with your doctor about whether or not you should receive meningococcal vaccination before going on vacation or visiting friends and family members who are traveling abroad as well.
polio
Polio is a virus that can cause paralysis. The polio vaccine protects against polio by preventing infection with the virus. It’s given orally (as a shot), or through a nasal spray.
Polio vaccination is safe, effective and recommended for people traveling to countries where the disease is common; however it isn’t necessary for everyone traveling to these countries because there are no cases of wild poliovirus globally at this time (see “Worldwide Distribution”). If you have not been vaccinated against polio and are traveling abroad:
Ask your doctor about getting vaccinated before leaving on international travel; if they don’t know what vaccines you need then ask them how much money it will cost!
rabies
If you’re traveling to a country where rabies is common, vaccination against the virus can help prevent infection. Rabies is caused by a virus that infects the central nervous system, causing encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and death. Only vaccinate if your doctor or health professional recommends it for your trip abroad; otherwise, there’s no reason to worry about being exposed to this disease.
The good news is that although rabies does occur in some parts of the world—particularly Asia—it’s not as common here in America (or other Western countries). In fact, only one person out of every million gets infected with this deadly illness each year!
Rabies is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal. The virus may also be present in the brain, spinal cord and other organs of a dead animal that has rabies. In order to contract the disease you must come into direct contact with saliva from a rabid animal or its brain tissue. This can happen when you’re bitten by an infected animal or if you handle one after it’s been killed. If your pet is bitten by another dog, cat or even wild animal—don’t panic!
tetanus, diphtheria & pertussis (whooping cough) – also known as Tdap or Td
Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial disease that spreads easily through the air. It is also known as pertussis or whooping cough, and it can be fatal in babies under 2 months old.
Whooping cough occurs more often in winter months, when the humidity is higher and other people have contact with your child (you might share a bedroom with them). If you think your baby has been exposed to whooping cough, they should get vaccinated immediately after they’ve been exposed.
I caught whooping cough in Egypt after spending it in a cheap hotel with air conditioning on all the time. I spent the next few weeks with sporadic bursts of unstoppable coughing especially at night.
typhoid
You may want to take a typhoid vaccination if:
You live or work in an area that has a high incidence of typhoid. This includes most countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
You’re traveling to an area where there is a risk of contracting typhoid fever. For example, if you are planning on visiting India or Pakistan, it’s important that you check with your doctor about whether or not it’s safe for you to travel there (see the Travel Health section below).
People should get prepared to combat any illness overseas with natural products which boosts your immunity and with added mosquito repellants.
If you are traveling to a country that does not have vaccination requirements for international travel, you should investigate whether it is still necessary and whether there any current threats . That’s because the country may not have enough vaccines and health care resources to protect its citizens as well as they could be protected if there were more people vaccinated.
If you are traveling to a developing or low-income country (such as Cuba), please consult your healthcare provider on whether vaccines are available before leaving home.
Conclusion
So, you’ve made up your mind. You will still travel overseas, despite the risk of getting sick. But what about vaccinations? Before you go on a trip like this, there are several things you should know about vaccinations and health care in other countries. The most important thing is to make sure that you get vaccinated against all of these diseases before traveling abroad so that if anything happens during your trip or even after returning home when someone else gets sick at work or school; they won’t catch any diseases either because they weren’t vaccinated enough before leaving home