Blueridge Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 If someone had never received vaccinations before, what would the minimum be that we're essential to receive before traveling to a place like South America? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 South America is a vast continent. The relative importance of each vaccine varies from place to place. What you will be doing while there also can change a vaccines importance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I recommend that you go see someone who specializes in travel vaccinations. They will talk to you about where you are going and what you'll be doing, and will also give suggestions about other ways to keep healthy (e.g. food safety). This might also help. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 It will be very country specific and activity specific. A good traveler's clinic in a big city would really be able to help you. I would recommend doing your own research and seeing what is required for the country you will be going to (not just what is recommended in the US). Just for your information, when moving to India, DH and I had at least 6 vaccines and we were already fully vaccinated for the standard ones! In addition, we had to provide HIV tests! DD had to get quite a few shots but DS was only 1 and not old enough for most. Now, after living here for 5 years I can now say that most of the ones we got were not necessary. Japanese enchephalitis (sp?) is not something I have ever heard of anyone here getting but we got the shot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 The US state Dept. Website has wonderful travel info by country. I'd start there and add in whatever normal vaccines are missing that might be a problem in whichever region. For example, there was just a chicken pox outbreak in Sao Paulo, though I suppose one might weigh the impact of the illness, the quality of available medical care, duration of the trip/likelihood of exposure against whatever reasons kept said person from vaccinating in the first place. Just don't discount quality of health care when thinking things like measles or whatever are no big deal, ya know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Thanks so much. Actually, it would be Central America (Costa Rica). I appreciate the websites and suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Thanks so much. Actually, it would be Central America (Costa Rica). I appreciate the websites and suggestions! We did not get any special vaccines for our two trips to Costa Rica. We delay some of the standard American vaccines, and our youngest was not fully up-to-date on our last trip. I chose to prioritize hepatitis over polio, since he was going to be enrolled in a school and I (and my doctor) thought hep was a bigger risk. We've had several encounters with the Costa Rican medical system and have been relatively pleased both times. That said, I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on the web. I just offer this as one example of how one might prioritize vaccines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 for costa rica, because we were doing biological research in the jungle, we made sure everyone was fully vaccinated with standard things plus we added yellow fever, all hepatitis and took malaria meds. i would actually go that route even without the evening jungle time..... but then, i've actually known folks who got polio and know that i don't ever, ever want to go there...... fwiw, ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetbasil Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 . but then, i've actually known folks who got polio and know that i don't ever, ever want to go there..... However, the IPV is relatively ineffective. The regular live Polio vax is very effective, but also runs the risk of giving you polio... so it's a tough judgment call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 However, the IPV is relatively ineffective. The regular live Polio vax is very effective, but also runs the risk of giving you polio... so it's a tough judgment call. not for me. the vaccine has almost eliminated polio..... so while it is not 100%, it is way better than the alternative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 here's the article the graph is from... http://www.brown.edu/Courses/Bio_160/Projects1999/polio/vac.html its excellent, and outlines the relative benefits and risks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I suspect tetanus would be recommended by most docs. Sometimes websites such as CDC assume you have received the normal set of vaccines in the US so don't assume that they aren't needed if not listed. Consult with your doc on that. Here is the CDC recommendations. Be as specific as possible with your health care provider about where you will be-city, jungle, beach, etc. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/costa-rica.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 not for me. the vaccine has almost eliminated polio..... so while it is not 100%, it is way better than the alternative. I just wanted to clarify that in our case, my son did eventually get the polio vaccine. (And I think he might have already had one dose before we went to Costa Rica but had not completed the set.) We prefer to give only a couple of vaccinations at a time, and we delay some of them until the kids are over 2, so this means that we do have to decide which ones to give first. I thought, in a Costa Rican private preschool, that exposure to hepatitis was more likely than exposure to polio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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