Thailand forum

Vaccinations for Thailand

Travel1221

backpacker
Posts: 15

Hi there. I've been told that it is not necessary to get any vaccinations for Thailand. We are travelling from South Africa, and even though I have had the standard Hep A & B shots which covers me for about 15 years, my boyfriend has not had any....

Please advise.

#1 Posted: 20/11/2009 - 17:12
gillerz960

backpacker
Posts: 16

I was told that it depends where in Thailand you go. If you stay in Bangkok then apparently you won't need anything. I was told to get Hepatitis B and Typhoid for rural areas and Rabies was recommended but I decided against it.

#2 Posted: 20/11/2009 - 17:34
sirhalberd

adventurer
Posts: 264

I think your boyfriend ought to get caught up with you on the Hep B and Typhoid. Consider a JEV shot too!

http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0140673607617802

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/07/07/japanese.encephalitis.virus.causes.double.trouble.brain

I have managed care and get the shots my docs say I should!

http://www.guidetothailand.com/thailand-travel-faq/thailand-shots.php

Good luck.

#3 Posted: 21/11/2009 - 07:10
Thaiman

tuk tuk driver
Posts: 201

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I have been to Thailand many times and never had any vaccinations for anything.You just have to be sensible about what you do.Don't put your hand out to touch a 'Soi Dog',use mosquito repellant if they're around,drink only bottled water- etc etc.

#4 Posted: 21/11/2009 - 13:37
pia2am

flashpacker
Posts: 35
Located in:

I can only recommend Hep A and B.
You can get Hep A from food and water everywhere except in western Europe and the US. If you are in an accident and need bloodtransfusion then you have a risk of getting Hep B, same for casual sex, but when it´s your boyfriend I hope he doesn´t stray of :-)

Typhoid - maybe, I´ve had it.

Pia

#5 Posted: 21/11/2009 - 18:31
chriswotton

beach masseuse
Posts: 84
Located in:

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I would definitely get the HEP A and B, and make sure you're both up to date on childhood vaccines like diphtheria, tetanus, polio and meningitis/MMR, but beyond that I wouldn't bother.

When I first went I took the advice I was given and got rabies and Japanese encephalitis shots, plus the BCG I had missed at school, but if I were doing it over again I wouldn't bother.

This is particularly true with rabies, where it doesn't actually protect you from rabies, just gives you a little longer to get treatment - if you don't have it, you only have 24 hours to see a doctor, compared to a couple of days if you've had it. But in Thailand you're unlikely to be more than 24 hours away from a good hospital anyway.

Enjoy your trip!

#6 Posted: 21/11/2009 - 21:38

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whizbang

newbie
Posts: 1

Blood transfusions are a risk of more than just Hep B, consider Hep C which can be a death sentence if you cannot get a liver transplsnt down the road, and that is only if you are healthy enough. The CDC also lists Hep C as an STD. More risks than you want to know about with transfusions.

If you think you can just get an antibiotic for Hep C forget it - it's viral and only about 40% of people that are healthy enough to go through a brutal year of chemo come out negative. Been there - done that and still recovering from the chemo five years later. Believe me you don't want to go there.

#7 Posted: 22/11/2009 - 20:03
idreamofdur-
ian

som tam seller
Posts: 554
Located in:

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Twinrex (Hep A/B) is a good idea for any travel. Otherwise there's really nothing necessary for Thailand. Just to repeat the good advice from everyone else:

- malaria mosquitoes bite at night (low risk in Thailand, anyway) and dengue mosquitoes bite in the morning. Use repellent, mosquito coils, nets, whatever you like to protect yourself.
- don't pet stray animals. If you do, wash your hands!! (or antibacterial gel)
- drink bottled water. If you want to be extra careful, brush your teeth and rinse your toothbrush with bottled water too.
- Be reasonably cautious about fruit juice (may have been watered down) or raw fruit/vegetables (may have been washed with non-bottled water). If you're worried about cleanliness of fruit, choose one that has an outer layer that you remove before eating (ex. banana, mango, mangosteen, rambutan).

#8 Posted: 22/11/2009 - 22:44

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MADMAC

mahout
Posts: 3626

Idream
The tiger mosquito (mr Dengue carrier) is also very active at night, and sometimes during the day too. He's a bugger. We have Dengue in my neighborhood, so I did some research on the little bastard.

#9 Posted: 23/11/2009 - 05:53

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