Travel to underdeveloped countries?

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I travel to Russia and other parts of Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and Central Asia quite frequently and this is a very common practice. Some places, such as Russia, now also require proof that you are HIV negative if you are planning to certain longer than a certain time period (3 months in the case of Russia I believe).

Either way, the diseases, such as Hepatitis A are quite frequent in underdeveloped countries and it's better safe than sorry, especially since their medical care is far inferior by western standards. Pony up the extra money and get it. It can never hurt.
 
I would strongly recommend hep a+b. you might look into malaria pills (though I have heard that there is a shot these days), yellow fever (prevelant in asia), and typhoid. And never...ever...leave home without a tetnis shot.
 
I've lived in developing countries for the last 19 years. Two of my children were born and raised in the Philippines, then to Malaysia, back to the Phlippines and Belize. Other than the normal immunizations that children get, DPT etc they only had hepa B. I had an A vaccine before going to the Philippines in 1986 that was good for 6 months. I focus on the water I drink and am very wary of anything I eat that is not thoroughly cooked. Green salads for instance, if not thoroughly washed can carry whatever the salad maker had on their hands. And that can vary depending on where their hands were just prior to making your salad. (yuck)
 
Our family of 7 checks the recommended immunizations for each and every trip we take and we take the precautions. Hep A & B were the first we crossed off our list. Of course, here in Utah, Hepatitis is a huge problem. I have been told it is because we have a large population of Illegals. I find it comforting each time we guarantee that we will not get something that is going to make us miserable.
 
To be really sure you are protected from Hep after you are vaccinated you really should get a titre if you are in a high risk area then. Thats the only way to know if the vaccine helped you develope the proper antibodies. I would definitly get the titre.
 
Immunization shots are required anywhere in any countries, especially for an infant and children. Do you assume that your neighbors had the hepatitis shots and re-shot every 5 years? How about STD and AIDS in highly developed countries? I am wondering if your doctor didn’t recommend bring the drinking water to those countries? Is he sure that you can dring the water over there? I am wondering what medical school he graduated and where he was trained. I hope it is not one of Mid West located universities. What a hick he is.​


LuvDaOcean:
While getting my medical clearance for diving, my doctor told me that our family (all 4 of us - ages 4yrs to 48yrs old) should get Hepatitis A Vaccine shots before travelling to Jamaica this summer as the incidence of contracting the disease is getting higher all of the time in places such as Central/South America, Carribbean, Mexico, Asia (except Japan), Africa, and southern or eastern Europe. It's to be given in two doses at least six months apart. First one to be given one month before travel.

How many of you world travelers have heard of this? Have you gotten the vaccines? Have you even heard of this before?

I'm just really curious since I hadn't ever heard this advice before and we've done a fair bit of travel to some of the places listed above. ????
 
Get the shots and don't drink the water or have ice in drinks, the shots should be required for certain country's, I have had to have shots before travel.
 
hoosier:
Immunization shots are required anywhere in any countries, especially for an infant and children. Do you assume that your neighbors had the hepatitis shots and re-shot every 5 years? How about STD and AIDS in highly developed countries? I am wondering if your doctor didn’t recommend bring the drinking water to those countries? Is he sure that you can dring the water over there? I am wondering what medical school he graduated and where he was trained. I hope it is not one of Mid West located universities. What a hick he is.



We are talking about a small prick in the arm that lasts less than a second and is free with most insurance policies? The Doc
did not recommend that they go rub a rotten potato over their knuckles at midnight in the middle of a graveyard. What is the price you pay if you actually get the disease? Did I misunderstand or why is a Dr suddenly boardering a malpractice suit for incompetence because he recommends an ounce of prevention? I have a friend that did contract Hepatitis B right here in the United States. I guarantee he would recommend you take the shot over the illness any day of the week!
 

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