BootsnAll Travel Community

I'm going RTW for a year. I've been into my local travel clinic and the girl didn't give direct answeres regarding what vaccinations you really need. Grand for the Hep A, B etc. ones but what about the rabies (going to india) and the Jap B ones especially? Expensive, and is there any point seeing as i'm not going to be too much in the middle of nowhere? I'd appreciate any help...

Cheers

She didn't give you direct answers? Isn't that the job of a travel clinic doctor? I think you should find another travel clinic!

I, and most other travelers to Asia, didn't bother with rabies or Japanese encepchalitis (sp?) vaccinations. For these particular vaccinations, I think the cost is too much and the risk too low.

But I'm just a stranger on the internet -- you should be getting advice from a travel doctor, not me!

(Edited to remove irresponsible talking out of my ass)

The chance of getting rabies or encephalitis may be low, but the consequences are immense. If something happens, you will want to kick yourself later knowing you could have just spent a little money and prevented it.

My advice is to think hard about your decision. Can you get it cheaper and still safe in another country in the begining of your trip? Can someone gift you some vaccines for your birthday? Do you really know if you're not going to spend much time in the middle of nowhere? Plans can change quickly, as can your frame of mind...

You can do some research yourself via www.cdc.gov and though js may feel that most travellers do not worry on vaccination for rabies and JE, I would dare suggest that any survey he has conducted may cover a very small number of travellers relative to how many there may be.

There has been a lot of discussion on the asian branch on innoculations and malaria treatment etc., and though you may not plan on getting here or there I would more think along the lines of that which Samanthia has raised.

And it is not just innoculations and preventative medicines but being somewhat alert to the local sanitary conditions and being confident on food preparation without going overboard, a good rule of thumb being "if an eating house is popular then it would seem that they are serving up good tucker" but you will still get a bit of Delhi Belli along the way.
Wear long sleeved/legged clothing early mornings and evenings with a slathering of mosquito repellant when in the tropics and as soon as you notice a few about.

It's like the old saying of "not much good having a roller if you cannot afford to run it" and likewise "travel cost ought to have things like insurance and precautions taken into account"

Just recently, a well travelled lovely person Kinga succumbed to Cerebral Malaria in Africa and OK you may not be going there (or planning to for now) but even fatal things can occur to the most experienced of travellers.

That cdc website is good alright. I'm thinkin i mightn't bother with the Jap B one but there's a few things on the rabies that even though the risk is low, i think i should get it. ...Then again you have to stop somewhere with the vaccinations otherwise you'll get everything under the sun!

I remember reading that every 30 minutes someone is infected with rabies in India. Another was that in some countries their postexposure treatment for rabies involves a vaccination which contains blood from humans (as they mightn't have whats ideal i think it was). So this in itself is a big issue as you could potentially contract aids as the blood might not have been properally screened - that's what the travel clinic told me anyway.

Cheers for the tips, appreciate it.

Mark,

Just keep in mind that you still need post-exposure treatment if you get the rabies vaccine. It's not really an immunization as much as a time buyer, and it simplifies the pose-exposure treatment.

My husband just spoke with a specialist today, and she said that the Jap enceph is expensive and not recommended anyway, because it's really only a risk if there is an outbreak in the area you intend to visit, and in these internet days, you can easily check ahead to see about it. She also didn't recommend the rabies, though I forget the reason. I think for the reasons that Vagadam just mentioned--it's only a time buyer.

We intend to get the least amount of vacs recommended because the vacs are not without risk themselves. Still dithering about malaria.

Can't believe how much the price of the rabies shot varies. It certainly pays to shop around! The clinic in Cork (Ireland) that I went to told me €60 per shot. Another clinic that are based in Limerick/Dublin do it for €25 per shot and i found a Doctor in Cork that does it for €20!! Big difference in the end between €60 and €180! Taking economies of scale and all that into account surely that can't justify such a big price difference.

So in the end I'm not gonna get the Jap B but thinking i will get the rabies as i will be on the road for a year and i want to go on some treks into the jungle for 3-5 days kinda thing. Just think that if you get bitten in the jungle you could be at a big push to get to a hospital within 24 hours. It does seems to be 50-50 though in terms of opinion to get it or not.

Thanks again for the help.

The rabies jab is also worth getting because it simplifies the treatment. Remember that rabies is often fatal! I'd definitely get it, there are plenty of rabid dogs around!

Check for Japanese encephalitis outbreaks--I think there was one in India last year.

Make absolutely certain that you follow your doc's advise on malaria prophylaxis!

Yeah, there's no question about myself getting the rabies shot as well. I would prefer not to contract it at all of course, but the post-exposure treatment as whalewatcher says is much simpler.

I can only hope that it is easy to explain to a doctor in india that I've had pre-exposure treatment, if it came to that.

Take a vaccination certificate! Actually, I forgot mine at home...