How do you know what vaccinations are needed before travelling abroad

Asks esme

A. You can contact your doctor who will be able to advise you on the latest vaccinations necessary to travel to certain countries or alternatively NHS Direct or the Department of Health online.

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Q. Can you give me some idea of what vaccinations I would need for certain areas

A. Everyone is advised to be immunised against polio, tetanus and diphtheria. You probably will have been while at school, but if you are not sure or know that it has definitely not happened within the last ten years then contact your doctor who will be able to update you. You should have up-to-date vaccination before you travel outside of Europe from the UK.

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The Department of Health and the Foreign Office also recommends that you are vaccinated against the following:

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Poliomyelitis - for all areas except North and Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.

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Hepatitis A and Typhoid - for areas where standards of hygiene and sanitation are less than ideal.

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Your doctor will also advise you on whether you need to be vaccinated against the following diseases, depending on where you are travelling to: Malaria, Yellow Fever, Meningoccal Meningitis, Rabies, Hepatitis B, Measles/MMR, Tick-Borne Encephalitis, Japanese Encephalitis, dengue fever and dysentery.

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Q. Can I be vaccinated against all of these diseases on the NHS

A. You will be able to obtain vaccinations free of charge on the NHS for the following: Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Polio, Tetanus and Diphtheria, Meningoccal, Hepatitis B, dengue fever and dysentery. You will have to pay a small fee for yellow fever, rabies, Japanese B Encephalitis and tick-borne Encephalitis vaccinations.

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Q. Is it true that malaria vaccinations are not 100%

A. Unlike most vaccinations - where you are administered a very small dose of the disease for your body to create anti-bodies against by injection - you are treated for malaria in tablet form and it protects you against the disease rather than guaranteeing immunity. You have to start taking the tablets several weeks before you leave for a malaria-infected area, during your trip and for a few months after you return to the UK.

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As the treatment lasts so long, most people forget to continue their course of drugs, which makes them vulnerable to the disease. Some drugs in the past (which are no longer on the market) have also caused severe side effects e.g. loss of sight and paralysis in a very small number of people, which has added to the bad press surrounding protection against malaria.

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Q. How do you catch malaria

A. Malaria is a parasitic disease spread by infected mosquitoes - so you can catch it if you are bitten by mosquitoes. Besides malaria tablets, you can also protect yourself against malaria by wearing long sleeved shirts and long trousers at night (when mosquitoes are most prevalent) and by administering anti-malarial ointment or gel on any skin that is not covered by clothing in the evenings too. Many hotels and hostels will burn anti-malarial coils in your room of an evening and provide mosquito nets for extra protection - both of which are available in the UK (from camping or outdoor activity shops) before your departure.

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Q. Isn't Yellow Fever transmitted by mosquitoes too

A. Yes it is and it is potentially a lot more dangerous - you have to carry a certificate stating you have been vaccinated against the disease if you enter an infected area. The disease is common in parts of South America and sub-Saharan Africa and older people (over 50) are more likely to contract severe bouts of the disease than younger travellers. It is called Yellow Fever as jaundice is a common characteristic of the disease as is fever, kidney failure and haemorrhage.

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Most people that contract a mild form of Yellow Fever recover after about four days, 15% of those infected will have stronger symptoms. Ensure you are vaccinated against Yellow Fever before travelling to an infected area, and as with Malaria ensure that you cover up after dark and use mosquito repellents, nets and coils wherever and whenever possible.

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If you have any other Travel related questions, please click here

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By Karen Anderson