Vaccination

[swissie]

Are you Farangs in the Isaan vaccinated against tropical deseases? If yes, what desease(es)?

Thanks & cheers.

[kimamey]

I'll be interested to see the replies to this as I intend to move to Thailand fairly soon if possible.

It's fairly straightforward when visiting for a few weeks, you bring your normal medication if you have any, have your vaccinations, take malaria tablets if needed and apply sunscreen to protect from the damaging sun and keep your skin white as the Thai women like (at least my gf does)

Living there is a different matter so I'll be watching this one.

[afarang]

Vaccinated? Absolutely No . !! Nonewhatsoever. Malaria ? Have taken nothing for the 22 years, that I have been living here.Sunscreens? - of course not. Too many nasty chemicals in them. Only silly little chinese thai girls use them ,as a result of advertising on T.V..And ride motorbikes one handed , while holding an umbrella in the other. They DO fall off sometimes. Good !!!.Brought NO drugs with me from Oz , If I have a medical problem ,I go to my local village clinic , or if more serious , go to the local Amphur hospital,. I have lived in both Bangkok and Isarn. Never again in Bkk., My stay there was out of economic necessity. Had to work. Now retired . Live very comfortably on my pension. In Southern Isarn.

[zzaa09]

No vaccinations.

Been here forever.

[isanbirder]

I was advised by a doctor in Chiangmai to get a vaccination against hepatitis B. I never renewed it. Otherwise, no.

[jamescollister]

Don't know what you can be vaccinated against, had hep A and B shots in OZ, but that was because of my work there. Only thing I bring back here from OZ is mufti vitamins, as they cost a fortune here. As for sun screen, if I was worried about getting brown would live in a cold country. Jim

[meatboy]

30years ago took malaria tabs made me ill,never had a jab in all them years,take 7diff.tabs a day all bought at the local pharmacy here in isaan.

[sinbin]

Take no notice of the hard men on this thread !! Get Hepatitis A&B shots along with Japaneses Encephalitis vaccine. No Harm getting a Tetanus shot if required.

Always wear an hat.

Edited July 8, 2011 by sinbin

[Mrjlh]

Take no notice of the hard men on this thread !! Get Hepatitis A&B shots along with Japaneses Encephalitis vaccine. No Harm getting a Tetanus shot if required.

Always wear an hat.

Absolutely agree. Only takes one mosquito bite for Japaneses Encephalitis. It is very rare but if you go into the jungle at a National Park you are subject to it. Humans think they are impervious to everything...MACO.. MACO MEN! NOT ME...blah blah...blah...Ouch... what just bit me?

[bina]

the usual basics, depending on what your are doing, where u are going etc.

nowadays it seems that hep a and hep b are usual for all in most countries nowadays?; tetanus for most people (here in israel its every ten years unless u work in farm/animal husbandry); childhood diseases that need renewal; for malaria there are differing suggestions depending on country, area, exposure levels and lenghth of time (since the meds are equally noxious); rabies for country dwellers, those that work with animals... somehow hard to see thailand as tropical disease hub....

as for parasites, there are worms and other nastier things that need to be watched for... that u cannot be vaccinated against.

no vaccine against dengue fever.

bina

[swissie]

the usual basics, depending on what your are doing, where u are going etc.

nowadays it seems that hep a and hep b are usual for all in most countries nowadays?; tetanus for most people (here in israel its every ten years unless u work in farm/animal husbandry); childhood diseases that need renewal; for malaria there are differing suggestions depending on country, area, exposure levels and lenghth of time (since the meds are equally noxious); rabies for country dwellers, those that work with animals... somehow hard to see thailand as tropical disease hub....

as for parasites, there are worms and other nastier things that need to be watched for... that u cannot be vaccinated against.

no vaccine against dengue fever.

bina

Will be living somewhat in the sticks. I think Hep A and B, plus Tetanus would make sense. Rabies ? Will have to look at the "wild-dog" situation first.

I take it, that all those vaccinations can be done in Thailand. (If I do them here it will likely cost 10 times more than in Thailand.)

Cheers.

[ronz28]

Leading cause of death in Thailand is cancer and probably vehicle crashes. Liver cancer, especially cholangiocarcinoma, is first in Khon Kaen, whereas lung cancer predominates in the North and esophageal cancer is significantly high in the South. Hepatocellular carcinoma, which is associated with hepatitis B virus, is a major problem in all regions of Thailand, with the exception of Khon Kaen and the Northeast. Liver flukes [Opisthorchis viverrini (OV)] (from raw fish especially in that area), related to cholangiocarcinoma, account for about 89% of all liver cancers in Khon Kaen, which has the highest incidence rate of liver cancer in the world.

So avoid any raw fish in salads, etc. get you Hep A and B shots, use a condom and wear a helmet or avoid motorcycles completely.

[jamescollister]

Take no notice of the hard men on this thread !! Get Hepatitis A&B shots along with Japaneses Encephalitis vaccine. No Harm getting a Tetanus shot if required.

Always wear an hat.

Good point there, my kids were all born in Aussie and have had all the shots that they give. Have a little book that says what they have. Japanese encephalitis is not on it, but the wife was telling me that the Government is giving it out in this area. We live in the jungles of the Emerald Triangle and I have never thought about it before. Looks like the kids are in for another jab or 3 . Jim

[sinbin]

Liver flukes [Opisthorchis viverrini (OV)] (from raw fish especially in that area), related to cholangiocarcinoma, account for about 89% of all liver cancers in Khon Kaen, which has the highest incidence rate of liver cancer in the world.

So avoid any raw fish in salads, etc. get you Hep A and B shots, use a condom and wear a helmet or avoid motorcycles completely.

Good advice Ronz28. About 6 million people in the N.East, alone, are infected. Avoid all fresh water fish, pickled pork, salted fish, sausages and water that comes from a tap. http://www.bangkokpost.com/lifestyle/family/21197/liver-cancer-a-truely-deadly-disease

[zzaa09]

Gee. Such much to concern and fret ourselves with. Perhaps it would be easier to encase ourselves in a bubble.

Thinking too much. A vaccine....??

[Mrjlh]

We're not in Israel, we're not in Auzzy land, we're not talking about river flukes or the leading cause of death, we're talking about diseases found in tropical areas of SEA that there are vaccinations for. And we're not being paranoid! Quit rationalizing about getting a simple "injection" to prevent something that will keep you from making your life miserable. You sound like little whining babies about getting stuck in the arm!

And there is a vaccine coming for Dengue fever. Believe me I had one type and its isn't fun at all.

The Op was basically only asking "should I" get one and yes they should.

[Semper]

No vaccinations so far. Maybe when they introduce something for HIV, I might have a shot.

[sinbin]

No vaccinations so far. Maybe when they introduce something for HIV, I might have a shot.

Well here ya go Semper. HIV breakthough as scientists discover pill used to treat Aids can also 'prevent disease'

[spacemand]

Hep A+B is a must.

Tetanus last 10 years so get one if its been more than a few years

If you want to be more safe get: Japanese Encephalitis.

Malaria only thing you can do is to take pills and the side effects can be really bad if you are going to live here longterm then its better to take measures to not get bitten than use antimalaria pills. Another thing to look out for is Dengue fever, so basically do what you can to avoid mozzies.

Hep A+B is 3 shots and last 30+ years. The Japanese thing is a few years.

Edited July 14, 2011 by spacemand