BootsnAll Travel Community

Of all the people on these boards who have travelled to SE Asia, how many of you recieved the JE vaccination before you went?
The travel doctor in my town has 'advised' I get the vaccination before I go... but I've been doing some reading on it and I don't think it's really necessary for me as I plan on sticking mainly to urban areas, and I'm only in the region for 10 weeks.
With 6 weeks before departure, I could really do with $300 in my back pocket, which is what the vaccine is going to cost me.

This might help.

Definetly seems like Japanese Encephalitis doesn't get much play on here. My local travel clinic in northern VA charges $148 per dose (x3), which comes out to about $450! Crazy.

Rabies is even worse - $250 per dose (x3 I think).

I decided the risks were low enough that I would pass on both. :/

Is this price the same all throughout the world? I know they grow the vaccine in mice which is why it costs so much, so I can't really see it being that much cheaper. Has anyone got the JE vaccine in another country? I'm in the same boat...I could also do with an extra $300.

Is this vaccine free in the UK on the NHS?

quote:

Originally posted by Ewan:
Is this vaccine free in the UK on the NHS?

I got Jap Enc as I was planning on living in Vietnam for 6 months. Plans changed, but had already had the jabs (x 3), and was over £100, but under £120 (can't quite remember) for the full course.

Big article today about this being one of the worst years on record so far for JE in all of Asia - in both rural and big cities. Usually outbreaks are limited to smaller geographic rural areas. I imagine WHO will have more info and stats.

I didnt go for the shot years ago, but today I would.

I would def. get the JE since it would really suck and ruin your trip otherwise. Mainly it will help your frame of mind, i hate having things like that lurking the back of my head, it's just one more thing to think about. I'm on the fence about the rabies but leaning towards it. I really like animals and I don't want to have to avoid animals for fear of rabies. On the other hand it only helps you for about 24 hrs so you would still need to get help asap, which would be really hard if you were far away from a hospital. However other countries do not have their animals vacinated like we do so there is a lot more rabies in 3rd world countries.

oops. i don't mean it would ruin your trip if you didn't get it, just if you actually got sick w/ it -that's what would suck

I asked my dr. about this a while ago. I kinda wanted to see how up on travel medicine she was. She didn't recomend it unless I was planning on spending more than 30 days in China.

I do want to get rabies. However, I am very lucky in that my insurance will cover any vacination.

To be honest while traveling through Asia I met maybe a couple of people who were on anti malarials or had vaccinations. I haven't had anything either but it should be a personal choice. I didn't protect myself against anything when I was living in Mexico and was fine, but my roommate got typhoid and dengue fever. You have to realise that shit happens.

I'm going to SEA and have decided to have the Rabies (£150) but not the JE.The Nurse in my local GPs said that I would only need it if spending lots of time in rural areas (and it would have been another £150!)

However having seen quimby's post I may have to re-think?

I have just got the first of three of jap b and its cost me £90 for the 3 - looks like it differs on what doctors you go to but i think the Nomad clinics charge about the same (£90).

Mich

In response to Zhang, it cost me about $400.. I hesitated v bit because of the potential side effects, 1 in 10 people vomit...But I bit the bullet... I just finished the series, and while I haven't thrown up I've been wicked itchy.

The question of how many other travelers got the vaccine is irrelevant. The risk of vaccination versus the risk of disease is relevant. Risk of infection in travelers may range from 1 in 5000 to 1 in 1,000,000, depending on factors including season, location, activities. The cost in NZ is NZD$600.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/jencephalitis/qa.htm

From the CDC Faq (quoting another source): "Who should be vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis?"

"Travelers: Japanese encephalitis vaccine is NOT recommended for all travelers to Asia. In general, vaccine should be offered to persons spending a month or longer in endemic areas during the trans-mission season, especially if travel will include rural areas. Under specific circumstances, vaccine should be considered for persons spending <30 days in endemic areas, e.g., travelers to areas experiencing epidemic transmission and persons whose activities, such as extensive outdoor activities in rural areas, place them at high risk for exposure. ... Estimates suggest that risk of Japanese encephalitis in highly endemic areas during the transmission season can reach 1 per 5,000 per month of exposure; risk for most short-term travelers may be 1 per million. Although Japanese encephalitis vaccine is reactogenic, rates of serious allergic reactions (generalized urticaria or angioedema) are low (1 to 104 per 10,000)."

In my opinion, this is the key quote from the link you provided:

"Fewer than 1 case/year is reported in U.S. civilians and military personnel traveling to and living in Asia."