Vaccinations

Make sure you do your homework on this one!  The best places to get accurate information on vaccinations is the Center for Disease Control or your local Travel Clinic.  Actually, you may want to check both just to make sure you’re covered.  But for now, here’s a list of the travel related vaccines you should expect to see:

  • MMR: Measles, Mumps, Rubella
  • Tdap/DPT: Diphtheria/pertussis/Tetanus
  • Polio:
  • Hepatitis A:
  • Hepatitis B:
  • Typhoid:
  • Meningococcal (meningitis):
  • Yellow Fever: Proof of vaccination is required by some countries.
  • Rabies:
  • Japanese Encephalitis:
  • Cholera: No longer recommended as it is not effective in preventing the disease.  This vaccination is only 50% effective.
  • Malaria: THERE IS NO VACCINE FOR MALARIA.  However, there are a number of prophylactics and treatments that can be used to combat the disease.  However, they should always be used in conjunction with other methods such as insect repellent or mosquito nets.
    • Types:
      • P. falciparum (Most Fatal)
      • P. vivax (Recurring)
      • P. ovale (Recurring)
      • P. malariae
    • Prevention: (Prophylactics)
      • Atovaquone/Proguanil (Malarone)
      • Chloroquine:
      • Doxycycline:
      • Mefloquine (Lariam)
      • Primaquine (Removes Dormant Strains from Liver)
    • Treatments:
      • Atovaquone/Proguanil (Malarone)
      • Coartem (Artemether and Lumefantrine)