Prepping for long term travel: Handling Immunizations.

If you're planning to travel outside Europe, you may need to be vaccinated against some of the serious diseases found in some developing parts of the world. You should always visit your doctor six to eight weeks before departure, as most vaccines don’t produce immunity until at least two weeks after they’re given. Your doctor will also be able to give you the World Health Organisation International Certificate of Vaccination that you will require to enter some countries.

Tetanus

How: The bacteria may get into your body through open cuts, punctures or lacerations.

Where: The bacteria are in every part of the world as they lives in the soil, dust and dirt so there is no place to hide.

Prevention: In industrialised nations, most children receive the tetanus vaccine, so you are most likely covered. Just get a booster before you go and you should be immunised for many years.

Fact: In World War 2 all Australian soldiers were immunised against tetanus and not a single person got it although many were wounded. So it's good to say that the vaccine is safe and very efficient.

Hepatitis A

How: Through ingestion of food or water that has been contaminated by the faeces of an infected person. Yeah that's gross! It can also be transmitted by close or sexual contacts with an infected person.

Where: Most cases occur in developing nations and areas where sanitation practices are of poor quality.

Prevention: The Hepatitis A vaccine is a series of two injections given one month apart. To get a life protection, you can received a booster 1 years following the initial injections.

Fact: The Hepatitis A is more common than cholera and typhoid among international travellers.

Hepatitis B

How: The virus is transmitted through contact with infected blood or other body fluids of an infected person.

Where: It's most prevalent in Southeast Asia, China, parts of the Middle East, Southern and Western Pacific and the Amazon River Basin in South America.

Prevention: The Hepatitis B vaccine is a series of two injections given one month apart. To get a life protection, you can received a booster 1 years following the initial injections. These days you can get vaccine that will provide protection against both Hepatitis A and B.

Fact: Most people will contracted their disease not from sexual contact but from their mothers, during their infancy, as the virus is transmitted in childbirth.

Yellow Fever

How: Yellow fever is a potentially fatal tropical disease caused by a virus that is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected female mosquitoes.

Symptoms: Infected person begins to show the common infection symptoms of fever, chills, headache, fatigue, nausea, and even turning yellowish... But the disease is not easy to diagnose unless if blood tests are available.

Prevention: A vaccine is available and it provides immunity against the infection for at least ten years. The vaccine is affordable, safe and proven to be very effective and the vest protection as once a person has been infected there is no specific treatment. Many countries will require you to prove you have been vaccinated before allowing you to enter their territory.

When: You should receive the vaccine with a minimum of 30 days before the planned trip.

Cost: For those living in UK, the vaccination is not usually available for free on the NHS, so you will normally have to pay around £60 for it.

Typhoid

How: The intestinal bacteria is transmitted through ingestion of food or water that has been contaminated by the faeces of an infected person.

Where: Typhoid Fever is most prevalent in the developing areas of India, Asia, Africa, Central/South Americas and the Caribbean.

Prevention: A vaccine is available.

When: You should receive the vaccine with a minimum of 30 days before the planned trip.