Mosquito-borne illnesses are a massive public health threat, yet they’re extremely preventable, Dr. Why? Because mosquito-borne diseases like Zika, dengue, and West Nile virus are a major threat to your health, even in nearby locations like Puerto Rico. Sammon insists we include a blurb about mosquito protection. Yes, this is a story about vaccines, but Dr. Another big way to protect yourself from illness while traveling “Go on the CDC website, see if where you’re going requires malaria prophylaxis, and contact a travel medicine specialist,” says Dr. There are a few different types of malaria protection drugs that all have varying dosing schedules ( check out the risks and benefits of your options here). The malaria immunization comes in pill form, and you’ll have to take it before your trip, during your trip, and after your trip. Some types of malaria can be severe (causing convulsions, impaired consciousness, and extreme fatigue) and rapidly fatal, particularly among people who don’t live in an endemic country (a.k.a. Fever, headache, and chills are the telltale symptoms.
It takes just one quick mosquito bite to contract the disease. People who get it typically get very sick, and in certain cases, it can be life-threatening. ”Malaria is probably the most concerning that people who look at travel medicine worry about,” says Dr. This disease isn’t something to mess around with. If you’re going to Mexico, Colombia, or any of the countries flagged here (which are predominantly tropical places), you’ll want to be protected against malaria. Unfortunately, unlike Lyme disease-in which it can take up to two days of a tick latching onto a human for the disease to be transmitted-tick-borne encephalitis can spread immediately after a tick bites, making the shot all the more crucial. In certain people, it can cause brain and spinal cord swelling and death. The majority of people who contract this infection, which affects the central nervous system, don’t feel sick, but it can lead to fever, aches, and GI issues. If you’re gonna stick to urban areas, you can probably skip it: “If you’re going to the city and you’re not going to be out taking hikes in forested areas, it would not be recommended,” says Dr. If you’re headed to western or central Europe (think: Scandinavia) between April and November, when ticks are the most active, there’s a chance you’ll need this shot-especially if you have plans to hike, camp, or do outdoor activities in forested areas outside of major cities. When to get vaccinated: At least six months before your trip
Recommended if you’re traveling to: Western and northern Europe and northern and eastern Asia
The good news: Hepatitis B is entirely preventable by vaccines. Sammon adds, so talk to your doctor to gauge your risk-but no matter what, “I would recommend that you get it if it’s on the CDC list for your destination,” she says. It’s particularly important for people who expect to have any sexual contact or medical procedures abroad to get vaccinated for hep B first, Dr. Though many people will get better in a few weeks, some will get chronic hepatitis B, which can lead to issues like liver failure or cancer. Hep B is not as common as hep A, but it’s much more serious. It can also be transmitted through sharing personal care items (like a razor or toothbrush) or getting a tattoo or piercing from unsterilized equipment. It’s spread through bodily fluids (like blood, semen, or vaginal fluids), most commonly through sexual contact with someone who’s infected (there are an estimated 350 million hepatitis B carriers globally). Hepatitis B is a much more serious liver infection that can be deadly. “It is the most recommended vaccine for travel,” Dr.
Pretty much every country in the world recommends travelers get this shot (which, by the way, requires two doses given six months apart, but even one dose provides strong protection). The symptoms, such as fatigue, nausea, and jaundice, can last up to two months (and, for some unlucky people, up to six months). It’s a very contagious liver infection that’s transmitted through contaminated food and water or contact with an infected person. In terms of what these diseases are, let’s start with hepatitis A. There are also shots specifically for hep A and hep B, respectively, if you know you’ve been vaccinated for one, but not the other. You can get this on an expedited schedule too, if you’re up against the clock: Typically this shot is given over the course of six months, but in a pinch, three doses can be administered in 21 days. Hepatitis A and hepatitis B are two very different diseases, both of which can hurt the liver, but there’s a combined hep A/hep B vaccine that you can get if you haven’t been immunized against either one (or just don’t know what you’ve been vaxxed for in the past).
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