When going on a holiday, no matter how big or small, we pack, take with us about what we consider we should need in terms of health, and we make a cross hoping that we will not have trouble, then ... we hit the road!
Even when we go on trips with larger group, when submitting the documents, we provide a certificate from the doctor which confirms that we are healthy and that is all, without us wonder why we needed that certificate.
Lately, especially with the frequent occurrence of pandemics, whether just flu, the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Organization decided that it is the case to impose certain precautions in contracting and transmitting certain diseases, because it is easier and less expensive, ultimately, to prevent than to treat.
Therefore, in addition to mandatory vaccinations , people traveling in other countries are required to comply with the immunization requirements imposed by the health authority in the country.
The most common diseases for which immunization is recommended to be done before leaving the country ("recommended" should be read and interpreted as "mandatory", especially for journeys taken in Asia and Africa, where the "enemies" are waiting from the moment the door of the plane is open!) are:
Cholera
History reminds us that we had cholera epidemic in our country, fortunately these things are only memories now. Cholera occurs mainly in Third World countries, in the not yet industrialized countries, with poor access to drinking water and in areas without adequate sanitation systems. In the case of this disease, the WHO does not require mandatory vaccination because of partial efficacy of the vaccine (does not sound good, but as medicine is often based on statistics, "partially" is better than "nothing"), still some local authorities may require the proof of vaccination.
Hepatitis B
Although it is included in the schedule of mandatory vaccinations, travelers who spend more than six months in endemic areas or even go for a short period in moderate or high endemic areas (South + East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa) and they are at risk of coming into contact with sick people, are obliged to vaccinate and have the booster injections also. WARNING! Vaccination should start at least six months before departure, to cover all doses.
Meningococcal Meningitis
The vaccine can be recommended to people traveling to areas where meningococcal meningitis epidemics occur (Nepal, Sub-Saharan Africa, "the strip of meningitis" in Eastern Ethiopia, Senegal West, New Delhi), to persons who had their spleen removed or dysfunctional spleen and persons with serum complement deficiencies.
The Plague
Vaccination against this disease is recommended for people who will have contact with rodents or rabbits, from rural areas where plague is endemic (some areas of South America, South East Asia). Routine vaccination is not recommended in the case of repeated exposure. Booster injections are required every 1-2 years.
Poliomyelitis
Formerly considered eradicated worldwide, poliomyelitis still occasionally occurs in some areas, so adults traveling in tropical or developing countries that have not been immunized previously, will be required to undertake the full course of vaccination against -polio (3 doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine increased power (IPV) as follows: two doses of 0.5 ml subcutaneously at an interval of 4-8 weeks and then the third dose after at least another 4 weeks and preferably from 6 -12 months after the second dose). People who were previously fully immunized can receive a single booster either as OPV (oral polivaccin live attenuated) or IPV.
Rabies (rabies)
Pre-exposure prophylaxis against rabies should be considered for travelers to areas where rabies is common in domestic animals (eg. India, Asia, Mexico). Usually, immunization consists in two intramuscular injections (deltoid area), in doses of 1 ml, made at an interval of one week, followed by a booster after 2-3 weeks.
Typhoid Fever
Vaccination against typhoid fever is recommended for those who travel to developing countries (particularly from Latin America, Africa and Asia) that will be exposed for long to contaminated food and water and there is no possibility to get bottled water from a reliable source (even if the water is bottled, the source may even be the one where enemies swarm, therefore becoming even more dangerous). In such situations, where it is not possible to evaluate the safety of the source of the water, boiling and cooling it is more than appropriate.
Yellow fever
Rarely encountered even in the medical world in our area, the risk for yellow fever is low for most regular travelers , there are a few countries that require mandatory vaccination for all visitors and others that require those traveling to endemic areas or ("You did the vaccine? No.? Wait a little longer ...") primarily Equatorial Africa and parts of South and Central America. The WHO certificate requires the registration the vaccine manufacturer and lot number.
Japanese B encephalitis
It is a mosquito-borne viral encephalitis that affects primarily children and older adults (over 65 years) and occurs mainly between May and September. It is the first among causes of encephalitis in Asia. The vaccine should be administered to travelers staying in endemic areas at least 30 days or traveling to favorable transmission season, especially if they visit the rural areas.
These vaccines may seem a little ... exaggerated at first sight ("C'mon, who travels to Asia so often or in South America, not to mention Africa?") but do not forget one thing: we go to Egypt, Tunisia, Hawaii Greece, Turkey and even just to our Bulgarian neighbors ... We are not the only ones there! Tourist areas are usually filled with tourists from all over the world and, especially in high season are full! Many people, more crowded than bus that takes us to work in the morning, and transmission or contamination possibilities to the full!
Before leaving for a destination away from home, whether in your country, first check the basic hygiene conditions you can expect there, whether in that area there have been in the last six months any warning or prevention on specific diseases or endemic, and even if you are not vaccinated (because you can say this "I don't want"), at least try to strengthen the immune system by natural means and once you arrive at your destination, be careful to local markets with untreated products because you never know where a little dysentery or typhoid fever jumps in to create a "great" holiday!
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