In all likelihood you’re not immune to any of the diseases below.  Sorry to break that to you, so if you’re heading off on an adventurous trip you’ll need to arrange for a nurse to stick a few needles in your arm.

A nasty bout of typhoid is enough to take the shine off your holiday of a lifetime.  If you don’t get your shots in sufficient time you could be putting yourself at unneccessary risk.

We’re all for a bit of risk in today’s mollycoddled world, but more of the paragliding off mountains, diving out of aeroplanes risk.

There’s no upside in getting cholera, aside from a story to tell the grandchildren if you manage to survive the 3 weeks of sh*tting green bile…

So, check out our guide to the most common travel vaccinations, when to get them and where to get reliable up to date country specific info.

Travel Vaccinations Guide

This is a brief gudie to some of the most common diseases encountered by travellers and backpackers to foreign countries.  If you’re going to known risk areas always check whether you need boosters or additional vaccines with your GP or local travel clinic.

Cholera

Vaccine – An oral vaccine that comes as a sachet you can dissolve and drink. Take two doses one to six weeks apart.

When to take it – Ensure you are vaccinated one week prior to travel. The vaccine has been available since 2004. It is generally only recommended for aid workers sited in emergency relief camps where breakouts have occurred. More adventurous backpackers travelling in risk areas without medical care may be advised to have the vaccine.

Countries – Far east, Africa and South America. Over 90% of cases are in Africa

Cause – Usually caught from drinking infected water.

Symptoms – In healthy individuals there may be no symptoms. In susceptible individuals diarrhoea is the main symptom. Up to 20 litres of fluid can be lost in a 24 hour period.

Fatality Rate – 1% if treated with rehydration therapy. Upton 50% if left untreated.

Lucky Bugger – The person that remembered to pack their blackcurrant diarolyte!

Diphtheria

Vaccine – Most people will have received a course of diphtheria vaccinations in childhood. A booster is recommended if your last vaccine was over 10 years ago.

When to take it – Effective almost immediately.

Countries – Outbreaks have been reported in central Asia, Algeria and Ecuador.

Cause – Diphtheria is caused by a bacterium and spread by sneezing and coughing.
Symptoms – Symptoms develop after 2-5 days and include sore throat with a grey membrane covering the throat, swollen neck glands and breathing problems.

Fatality Rate – The fatality rate is between 5 – 10 % in healthy adults. Though in young children it is around 40% hence the macabre moniker “the strangling angel of children”.

Lucky Bugger – In 1925 the inhabitants of the Alaskan city of Nome were saved by an epic 674 mile relay of the diphtheria vaccine by dog sled. The Great race of mercy commemorates this event annually.

Hepatitis A

Not to be confused with the more serious Hep B and Hep C virus.  Hep A is a milder infection that is generally no more severe than a mild flu.

Vaccine – one injection gives a years protection. Have a booster injection at 12 months to give over ten years protection. There is also a combined hep A, hep B and typhoid vaccine.

When to take it – Ideally at least two weeks before travel to allow immunity to develop. Postpone having a vaccination if ill with a temperature.

Countries – Africa, Northern and Southern Asia, parts of South America, South and East Europe.

Cause – The virus is found in the faeces of infected people and it’s spread by poor personal hygiene. Your mum always told you to wash your hands after the toilet for a good reason. Food prepared with contaminated water can also spread infection. Shellfish that have been in contact with contaminated seawater can also be a source of infection.

Symptoms – Some people have the infection with no symptoms at all, whilst others may have mild flu like symptoms. Generally, The older you are, the worse the symptoms. Other symptoms include weakness, fever, loss of appetite and jaundice.

Fatality Rate – It’s not usually a serious illness. If you’ve got problems with your liver you should ensure you’re vaccinated.

Lucky Bugger – if you’ve had Hep A before you’re immune.

Hepatitis B

Vaccine – The vaccine is given in 3 doses at 0, 1 and 2 months
When to take it – Given the three dose schedule you should allow two months. There are more accelerated schedules if absolutely necessary. Again, postpone your vaccination if you’re already ill.

Countries – Hepatitis B is encountered worldwide, the likelihood of infection is more related to activities than specific countries.

Cause – High risk activities include unprotected sex or sharing needles.

Symptoms – Up to 60% of cases are sub clinical with no visible symptoms. 5-10% of infected people becoming carriers with no symptoms. There are approximately 350 million carriers worldwide.

Fatality Rate – Between two and ten percent of infected people will develop chronic hepatitis and can develop cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Lucky Bugger – If you’re in the 60% of infections that suffer no major symptoms count yourself lucky.

Rabies

Vaccine – The rabies vaccine doesn’t give much protection, but it does slow the onset, giving you much needed time to get medical help. If you’re two weeks from civilization, now might be the time to call that chopper. Without the vaccine you need medical attention within 24 hours. So if you’re heading to a remote, high risk area with no limited medical care you should get vaccinated.

When to take it – One month before travel, the course is three doses at days 0, 7 and 28.

Countries – In developing areas of Asia, Africa and Latin America dogs are a major carrier. If you’re heading into the wilderness on a badger baiting trip it’s probably advisable to get a shot. Though a good bout of rabies might be just the tonic to make you mend your ways.

Cause – Frothy bites or scratches from dogs, bats, foxes and monkeys with an aversion to water. If bitten by a suspect animal, immediately wash the wound with soap and water and seek treatment.

Symptoms – Symptoms take between a week and month to develop, though in some cases it can be up to a year. Frothing mouth, aversion to water and aggression are the classic symptoms.

Fatality Rate – Once symptoms have developed nearly 100% of infected people die. Rabies kills over 40000 people a year.

Lucky Bugger – Bats can survive infection with rabies.

Typhoid

Vaccine – Oral, have a booster every 5 years, Injectable, needs a booster every 2 years.

When to take it – 10 days prior to travel.

Countries – Parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Cause – Food or water contaminated with the faeces of an infected person. So if the sewage and water system isn’t well developed , that’s a nice image.

Symptoms – A slowly developing fever that lasts for about 3 weeks. coupled with green diarrhoea and delirium amongst other things. Complications in the third week can include intestinal haemorrhage or worse, perforation. As you can imagine holes in your intestine are bad news.

Fatality rate – 10% to 30% if untreated. If you’ve got access to antibiotics you should be okay, provided it’s not a resistant strain, like those commonly found in South-East Asia.

Lucky Bugger – If you carry a copy of the cystic fibrosis gene you are naturally resistant but that’s a long shot so save on toilet paper and get yourself vaccinated.

Yellow Fever

Make sure you carry your yellow fever certificate with you since immigration officials might ask to see it.

Vaccine – The vaccine causes soreness at the injection site and headaches in 30% of people. These side effects pass in a few days.

When to take it – You must take the vaccine more than 10 days before your trip to be effective and officially accepted.

Countries – Yellow fever is endemic in South America and Africa. Although you may not be at high risk of contracting it, the border control may request your immunisation certificate.

Cause – Yellow fever is spread to humans from the bite of an infected mosquito.

Symptoms – The symptoms vary from a mild flu like illness that gets better on its own to a more sever illness leading to jaundice (hence yellow), liver, kidney and lung failure an death.

Fatality Rate – Approximately 25%of patients develop a serious case which may involve bleeding from the mouth, eyes, ears and stomach. Upton 50% of patients with this form of the disease don’t survive.

Lucky Bugger – That smart guy that remembered to buy insect repellent and a mosquito net!

Where To Get Travel Vaccines

As a first port of call head to your local doctors clinic.  They’ll probably be able to give you some of the vaccines for free and advise you of the cost of others or refer you to a local travel clinic.

Masta travel clinics cover the majority of the UK and can obtain any vaccine you might need on your travels, they’re also a reliable source of advice on what you will need for where.

For a thorough overview of every disease and vaccine under the sun check out the travel doctor website.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

Remember, prevention is better than cure so get your shots, buy a mosquito net and insect repellent, educate yourself about any risks and use a bit of common sense.

If you do contract a nasty disease make sure you’ve got travel insurance that covers any hospital treatment you might end up having.

Finally, don’t become too paranoid, or you’ll be so preoccupied you’ll walk in front of a bus on the way to the travel clinic!