Do I need shots before I
travel?
Before you travel, first make sure you are up to date on all
of the routine shots. These include tetanus, polio, measles, and mumps. It is
also good to have a flu shot if you are traveling during flu season. If you
have never had a pneumococcus shot and you have lung disease or have had your
spleen removed, you should get this shot before you go on your trip.
When you travel to foreign countries, you may be exposed to
other infections. Many of these illnesses can be prevented with vaccines or
medicines. At least 2 months before you travel, tell your health care provider
where you plan to travel. Your provider will let you know what shots or
medicines you need to prevent illnesses in the countries you will be visiting.
This decision will be based on:
- the places you plan to visit
- your age, medical history, and health
- your exposure risk.
You should also find out which countries require proof of
vaccination before they will let you visit.
Infants and young children should be up to date with the shots
routinely given in their home country before traveling. Check the minimum age
requirement for any special shots your child will need.
What special shots or medicines
do I need before I travel?
More than a dozen vaccines are available to prevent diseases
you might be exposed to during travel to other parts of the world. Depending
on where you are traveling, you might need vaccines against hepatitis A and B,
chickenpox, pneumonia, typhoid fever, yellow fever, meningitis, Japanese
encephalitis, or rabies. (For a complete series of hepatitis shots you may
need to see your health care provider at least 6 months before you travel.)
If you are going to a part of the world where malaria is
common, such as Africa, Asia, or South America, you may need to take medicine
to prevent malaria. Malaria is a serious, sometimes fatal, disease caused by a
parasite. It causes fever and flulike illness. It may also cause anemia and
jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes). It is usually spread by
mosquito bites. Your health care provider will prescribe a medicine that you
will start taking before you leave. You will continue taking the medicine
while you travel in the risk area and for 4 to 6 weeks after you leave the
area.
How can I get up-to-date
information for the places I plan to visit?
Check with your health care provider or your local health
department for information. You can also get detailed, up-to-date travel
advice for specific countries and diseases from:
- a travel health clinic
- the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) via
the Traveler's Health hotline at 1-877-FYI-TRIP or online at
http://www.cdc.gov/travel. If you
are pregnant, breast-feeding, or traveling with young children, be sure to
ask about or look up specific information about your situation.
Visit the Texas Children's Travel Medicine Clinic
A number of other travel medicine sites can be found on the
Web, such as:
It may seem as though the world is full of dangerous
infections when you travel. However, the most common cause of death among
travelers is injury, usually caused by a motor vehicle accident. Become
familiar with the local road conditions, traffic patterns, and signals before
you get behind the wheel and remember to wear your safety belt.
