How Many Of You Get Vaccinations For Travel To Thailand?...

[krisb]

Just wondering if you take it seriously or not? Do you always visit the doctor before heading to Thailand and get all the shots and malaria tablets etc etc?

Honestly the first few times I always did. Then I got a bit lazy and complacent and I havnt been keeping up with it. Probably not a great effort on my healths behalf, but after a while it just feels like going home in a way, Ive relaxed my attitude, Ive also been lucky and never been sick there (knock on wood) so far so good.

....Is that bad?

What about those of you that live there full time, do you need regular shots? Is that what happens?

So be honest...tell us... do you always get the recommended shots and tablets for Thailand before heading over?

[TommoPhysicist]

I gave up on vaccinations 30 years ago.

Been all over Africa many times.

Lived here for over 5 years, zero, zilch, zippo.

Edited March 5, 2013 by TommoPhysicist

[villagefarang]

Nope.

[Semper]

What about those of you that live there full time, do you need regular shots?

Nope. And I don't use mosquitoe reppelants.

[cdnvic]

I keep my tetanus up to date, but not specifically for Thailand. I'm wary of malaria, but prefer to take precautions to prevent being bitten rather than take anti-malarials.

[stoneyboy]

I have to keep mine up to date for my work,which is probably a good thing as I could easily not bother with them.

[Chicog]

You'd have to go out of your way to get Malaria in Thailand, and you can't get vaccinated for Dengue or Chikungunya, so what's the point?

[krisb]

Chickengunya! 1st time I've heard of that one. Sounds scary.

[krisb]

I keep my tetanus up to date, but not specifically for Thailand. I'm wary of malaria, but prefer to take precautions to prevent being bitten rather than take anti-malarials.

Everybody should keep tetanus up to date. If I remember its every 10 years?

[richard_smith237]

Typhoid, Polio, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Tuberculosis, Hep B... Yep...

I need a Hep B update and probably Tetanus too...

[cdnvic]

I have Hep a/b shots due to my former employment. Not sure how often they need updating.

[nisakiman]

Never had shots for anything. I got malaria when I was in India in 1967 and Hep B in Afghanistan in 1968, but I don't think there were shots for either of those back then, just quinine tablets for malaria. Which I didn't take. I never think about it when I travel anywhere.

[krisb]

Never had shots for anything. I got malaria when I was in India in 1967 and Hep B in Afghanistan in 1968, but I don't think there were shots for either of those back then, just quinine tablets for malaria. Which I didn't take. I never think about it when I travel anywhere.

Interesting. I did some googling on the topic. Makes me think for the sake of booking, going, some money and some needles, perhaps there is some things worth getting vaccinated for.

Heres 1,

Rabies is a very serious disease

that most people from a dog bite or a bite from a bat. Many other animals, like

monkeys, skunks and raccoons, can also cause this disease. If you are

bitten by an animal while you are traveling you should scrub the bite wound for

at least 5 minutes with soap and water and see a doctor as soon as possible

after the bite so you can start a series of shots immediately. �Getting the vaccine is very important, as

everyone who develops rabies, dies from rabies.�

There is not any treatment once you get sick.

There is a vaccine for rabies to

prevent the disease in case of a bite, but it is expensive and you need at

least 3 weeks (3 separate shots). If you will be traveling for a long

period you should consider getting these shots. Children are especially

at risk of getting bit by dogs and not telling anyone about a bite. So, it is

important to think of vaccinating children.

The risk of

Japanese encephalitis for most travelers appears to be very small. From

1992 to 2008, only four cases were reported in U.S. residents. All were

Asian immigrants or family members who traveled to Asia to live or to

visit friends or relatives and who had not been vaccinated against the

disease (see MMWR). From 1973 to 1992, only 11 cases of Japanese encephalitis were reported in U.S. residents, five of whom were civilians.

More

than 48,000 cases of dengue fever, 27 of them fatal, were reported from

Thailand in the first nine months of 2011, chiefly in the central

region. Provinces most affected included Krabi, Samut Sakhon, Satun,

Songkhla, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Sawan, Chon Buri and Trat.

An outbreak was reported from the island of Phi Phi in August 2011,

causing 20 cases, some of them in tourists. In September 2011, an

outbreak of a febrile illness, possibly dengue, was reported from the

Karenni refugee camp in Mae Hong Song. More than 86,000 cases of dengue

fever and at least 100 deaths were reported nationwide for the first

nine months of 2010. Most of the cases were reported from the

Northeastern provinces, followed by the Central, Southern and Northern

regions. An outbreak was reported from the island of Phuket, causing

almost 700 cases by November 2010. Dengue outbreaks were reported from

Buri Ram province and from the northeastern province of Surin in

September 2010, from the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani in

August 2010, from Nakhon Ratchasima province in July 2010, and from

Pattani province in May 2010. In June 2009, a dengue outbreak was

reported from the region of Mae Hong Son, causing 155 cases. The dengue

reports by province and region are available from the Thailand Ministry

of Public Health dengue surveillance website.

For

the year 2008, there were more than 91,000 cases of dengue fever

nationwide, including 99 deaths. Koh Samet, Koh Mun, and Koh Kodi were

particularly affected. A dengue outbreak was reported from Rayong

Province in August 2008, causing almost 1400 cases and two deaths. For

the first nine months of 2007, more than 40,000 dengue cases were

reported nationwide, including 47 deaths. The number of dengue cases

appeared to rise earlier than usual in 2007, due to early, heavy rains. A

dengue outbreak was reported from Phuket in August 2007, resulting in

110 cases and at least two deaths by November. In May 2007, an outbreak

was reported from Trat province, 400 km southeast of Bangkok on the

Cambodian border, and in the southernmost provinces along the Malaysian

border. In August 2006, the provinces of Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan,

Phichit and Uthai Thani were declared dengue "alert zones" by the

Ministry of Public Health because of a large number of cases (more than a

thousand) being reported from these provinces (see Thailand Ministry of Public Health).

A dengue outbreak was reported from Surin Province in July 2006 and

from Ampur Mae Sareang in June 2006. Earlier in the year, a dengue

outbreak was reported from Chaiyaphum Province. In April 2002, a

unusually large number of cases was reported among travelers to southern

Thailand, especially the island of Koh Pha Ngan.

Problem with Dengue fever is there is no commercially available vaccine.

Only prevention.

[Morakot]

I keep my tetanus up to date, but not specifically for Thailand.

Where is a good place for a tetanus booster shot?

[Sheryl]

Malaria prophylaxis is not indicated unless for some reason you will be spending nights in jungle around the Cambodian, lao or Myanmar borders.

Most of the vaccines needed for Thailand are ones that most of us would already have had. Exceptions would be:

Hepatitis A and B - older people especially may not have had these and both are definitely indicated. And not only for Thailand.

Rabies - strongly advised.

Japanese B Encephalitis - indicated if you will be spending time in rural areas. The resevoir is the pig so anywhere that people are raising pigs nearby (which is most very rural areas) is a potential risk.

[mickjn]

I only go to get prescribed medications,no injections etc.First trip I was 19 in 1967,now nearley 65.Got crook a couple of times,nothing serious

[jonnyscot]

'Morakot' I keep my tetanus up to date, but not specifically for Thailand.

Where is a good place for a tetanus booster shot?

On either arm I'd say or maybe if you're lucky on the bum,,,,, sorry Morakot, couldn't resist,,,,

Seriously though, I'm only thorough for work requirements, vaccinations I update hepatitis, yellow fever, and tetanus,, also for malaria tablets my work insist I take either doxycyclene, Larium or malerone, as previously mentioned malerone is not readily available in Thailand other than i think from a specialist malaria clinic in bkk, although i'm not 100% on that, but I carry doxycyclene with me to work which is a much cheaper option than the malerone and available in nearly all pharmacies

[Sheryl]

I keep my tetanus up to date, but not specifically for Thailand.

Where is a good place for a tetanus booster shot?

Any place can do it. A government Health Center or District Hospital would usually be fast and cheap.

[David48]

Rabies - strongly advised.

I'm glad that you raised that.

Coming from a country that has never had (to my knowledge) rabies, I did not give it a 2^nd thought however ...

Straying at the Farm where I did each hushold has it's own pack of dogs and when walking the boundaries between the Farms ... the dogs are territorially defensive ... understandably.

One of the neighbours kids received a playful bite by our Farm dog and he had no previous shots ... so off the local Clinic for a series of 5 shots from memory.

It's the one shot I'm seriously considering. Hep A and B + Tetanus are taken care of.

Sheryl ... what are your thoughts on this?

.

[David48]

Also I noticed one of the posters above mentioned Tuberculosis.

Can you actually get shots to prevent this?

Prevalence in Thailand?

Risk of infection?

[stoneyboy]

Also I noticed one of the posters above mentioned Tuberculosis.

Can you actually get shots to prevent this?

Prevalence in Thailand?

Risk of infection?

The BCG vaccine is/was administered in the UK at High School,not sure about the risks/prevalence here or what they offer,but I had mine when I was 14 years old.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BCG_vaccine

[Colabamumbai]

Nope......I do not know of you can get syphillis or HIV shots in advance, but would recommend.

[David48]

Also I noticed one of the posters above mentioned Tuberculosis.

Can you actually get shots to prevent this?

Prevalence in Thailand?

Risk of infection?

The BCG vaccine is/was administered in the UK at High School,not sure about the risks/prevalence here or what they offer,but I had mine when I was 14 years old.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BCG_vaccine

I'll have to follow-up on that one as I don't remember receiving it.

Is it a once in a life-time shot?

Can you be tested to see if the anti-bodies are still alive and working in the ole' bod?

[stoli]

First came here 26 years ago, and now live here. No injections.

[isawasnake]

I would say this is one of the few things you can get done in Thailand. I got it done here, and it is one of the only procedures, as complex as it is, that I trust the doctors here can do. Just watch them carefully and you should be ok.

Edited March 12, 2013 by isawasnake

[phuturatica]

I am fully up to date with all my shots. I guess it's better to be safe than sorry.

[Sheryl]

Also I noticed one of the posters above mentioned Tuberculosis.

Can you actually get shots to prevent this?

Prevalence in Thailand?

Risk of infection?

The BCG vaccine is/was administered in the UK at High School,not sure about the risks/prevalence here or what they offer,but I had mine when I was 14 years old.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BCG_vaccine

I'll have to follow-up on that one as I don't remember receiving it.

Is it a once in a life-time shot?

Can you be tested to see if the anti-bodies are still alive and working in the ole' bod?

BCG reduces only the risk of developing special forms of extra-pulmonary TB that occur primarily in children. It is not recommended for adults anywhere that I know of, and recommended only for children living in areas with fairly high TB prevalence.

see http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/factsheets/prevention/bcg.htm

[Sheryl]

I am fully up to date with all my shots. I guess it's better to be safe than sorry.

or dead (rabies; liver cancer as a sequel to Hep

or chronically ill (Hep

or brain damaged (JE).........

Reverting to the "I didn't get any shots and have lived here for years and am just fine" posters, these vaccinations aren't recommended because everyone who doesn't get them -- or even a large proportion of people who don't get them -- are bound to get the disease.

They are recommended because even though only a minority of unvaccinated people will get the disease, the consequences of those diseases are very dire and statistically speaking, the risks of being unvaccinated far outweigh the risks associated with the vaccines. at least for most people. (People with special conditions affecting the immune system need to seek individualized advice).

It's the same principle as using a seat belt. The fact that people can get in their cars and drive and be just fine doesn't mean seat belts don't work or are unnecessary, it only means that most of the time one is not in an accident. When you are, the seat belt can be life saving. And since it entails very little inconvenience or cost, why take the unnecessary risk, especially given the potential downsides of not using one (death, paralysis, brain damage..)?

[cooked]

I guess that people that think getting the shots are unnecessary are the same that think that health insurance is unnecessary. Both (non-) actions potentially damage the community as they risk becoming spreaders of diseases, spreaders of costs for their treatment to other people.

[isawasnake]

I guess that people that think getting the shots are unnecessary are the same that think that health insurance is unnecessary. Both (non-) actions potentially damage the community as they risk becoming spreaders of diseases, spreaders of costs for their treatment to other people.

Not me. I thought the shots to be necessary, but health insurance is a huge pile of BS as far as i'm concerned. That is what credit cards are for.