Travel Vaccination Recommendations

Last activity 20 March 2012 by MrCAMEL

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RayTMember19 March 2012 13:32:17

The following is a list of vaccinations given/recommended to me by Alberta Health here in Canada for travels to Japan, China, Mongolia, and Central Asia:

-Hepatitus A
-Hepatitus B
-Typhoid
-Japanese Encephalitis
-Rabies
-Tuberculin Test
-Tetanus/diphtheria
-Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis
-Polio
-Influenza

So far I have had 8 shots, and am due for another round come July. The one which I am a bit curious about is the Rabies shot. Is it really necessary?

Any insight/advice would be appreciated.

nickbertActive member20 March 2012 06:38:28

Ray-

The American CDC has recommended the same except for the Japanese encephalitus. Their lists of immunizations here:
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/mongolia.htm

The typhoid and rabies they recommend for people spending a lot of time in rural areas. Those two I personally did not get yet since I don't spend a huge amount of time in truly rural areas, though if that changes I might consider it. I was satisfied with being up on my "standard" shots plus Hep A & B. Food contamination is the biggest risk in my opinion, so Hep A vaccine is probably most worth receiving. Do that and you generally minimize the impact of food contamination to the once-in-a-while traveler's diarrhea ;-)
That being said, there are a fair number of stray or half-feral dogs in some parts of UB city, so maybe if you can get one of the rabies pre-exposure vaccines for little or no cost it might be worth it.

- Nick

MrCAMELMember20 March 2012 13:46:35

When I moved to UB last year, this is how I thought,
"Do the people of that big, modern city worry if they have had their latest vaccinations for all these things (that you wrote)". Well, the answer is just NO. I had no injections and plan to be here for a long time. People get sick at home and while in other places. Fact of life. So, that's what I think.