Africa Safari Vaccines

[des1713]

Hi -

Hoping someone may already have the answers to this question. I have been invited on a safari to East Africa next year. It is a lifetime dream but I have a few hurdles to jump first. Does anyone know if the CDC recommedned/required vaccines are GLUTEN FREE? I a few other isssues I'll need to address with my doctor like interaction with my other medications and a current medical condition that could be aggrevated by the shots...but I'm taking it one step at a time. THANKS!!!

CDC says:

The following vaccines may be recommended for your travel to East Africa. Discuss your travel plans and personal health with a health-care provider to determine which vaccines you will need.

* Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Transmission of hepatitis A virus can occur through direct person-to-person contact; through exposure to contaminated water, ice, or shellfish harvested in contaminated water; or from fruits, vegetables, or other foods that are eaten uncooked and that were contaminated during harvesting or subsequent handling.

* Hepatitis B, especially if you might be exposed to blood or body fluids (for example, health-care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment. Hepatitis B vaccine is now recommended for all infants and for children ages 11–12 years who did not receive the series as infants.

* Malaria: your risk of malaria may be high in all countries in East Africa, including cities. See your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug. For details concerning risk and preventive medications, see Malaria Information for Travelers to East Africa.

* Meningococcal (meningitis) if you plan to visit countries in this region that experience epidemics of meningococcal disease during December through June, (see see Map 4-9 on the Meningoccocal Disease page).

* Rabies, pre-exposure vaccination, if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas, such as might occur during camping, hiking, or bicycling, or engaging in certain occupational activities.

* Typhoid vaccine. Typhoid fever can be contracted through contaminated drinking water or food, or by eating food or drinking beverages that have been handled by a person who is infected. Large outbreaks are most often related to fecal contamination of water supplies or foods sold by street vendors

* Yellow fever, a viral disease that occurs primarily in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America, is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The virus is also present in Panama and Trinidad and Tobago. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travelers to endemic areas and may be required to cross certain international borders (For country specific requirements, see Yellow Fever Vaccine Requirements and Information on Malaria Risk and Prophylaxis, by Country.). Vaccination should be given 10 days before travel and at 10 year intervals if there is on-going risk.

* As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles, and a one-time dose of polio vaccine for adults.

[Sinenox]

* Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Transmission of hepatitis A virus can occur through direct person-to-person contact; through exposure to contaminated water, ice, or shellfish harvested in contaminated water; or from fruits, vegetables, or other foods that are eaten uncooked and that were contaminated during harvesting or subsequent handling.

* Hepatitis B, especially if you might be exposed to blood or body fluids (for example, health-care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment. Hepatitis B vaccine is now recommended for all infants and for children ages 11–12 years who did not receive the series as infants.

* Malaria: your risk of malaria may be high in all countries in East Africa, including cities. See your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug. For details concerning risk and preventive medications, see Malaria Information for Travelers to East Africa.

* Meningococcal (meningitis) if you plan to visit countries in this region that experience epidemics of meningococcal disease during December through June, (see see Map 4-9 on the Meningoccocal Disease page).

* Rabies, pre-exposure vaccination, if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas, such as might occur during camping, hiking, or bicycling, or engaging in certain occupational activities.

* Typhoid vaccine. Typhoid fever can be contracted through contaminated drinking water or food, or by eating food or drinking beverages that have been handled by a person who is infected. Large outbreaks are most often related to fecal contamination of water supplies or foods sold by street vendors

* Yellow fever, a viral disease that occurs primarily in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America, is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The virus is also present in Panama and Trinidad and Tobago. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travelers to endemic areas and may be required to cross certain international borders (For country specific requirements, see Yellow Fever Vaccine Requirements and Information on Malaria Risk and Prophylaxis, by Country.). Vaccination should be given 10 days before travel and at 10 year intervals if there is on-going risk.

* As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles, and a one-time dose of polio vaccine for adults.

First, you need to go to a travel clinic. Not all of these vaccinations will apply to you depending on where you're off to and how up to date you are. Since you claim it's a safari I'm going to guess Kenya or Tanzania. Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Vaccinations are given intraveniously. Therefore if you have traditional celiac disease in that the problem occurs when you ingest gluten, then one-time injections of material into the blood stream containing gluten might not provoke a reaction at all. For long term effects you should really check with your doctor. I can tell you that I've never personally reacted to any of these vax and I've had them all.

2. Some of these may not apply to you and unless you're entering a country with a visa-yellow fever requisite most of them are adoptive. The purpose of the CDC list is to give you general information and allow you to make informed decisions when it comes to elective vaccination. So. Yellow fever you will either be in an exposure area or you wont. If you are, they will strongly recommend you get the vax. Same with Typhoid and HepA. If you are outside the range it might not matter. You will almost certainly want the Meningitis, HepB and anything you're not up to date on (like Tet and Polio). However, the Rabies vaccine depends mightily on what you intend to be doing. For example, when I recently went to Ethiopia to work with wild wolves I still opted not to get the vaccine because I knew it would be available there, it's expensive and painful and the liklihood of use would be low. Given that you might want to seriously consider whether you'll be exposed to potentially rabid mammals while on your trip and how rural the area will be.

3. Again, knowing your locale would help dramatically but from what you've given I think the most concerning of your meds will probably be the malaria pills you take. I'd try to get ahold of the pharm info before heading to the travel clinic. The other problem you'll want to take under serious consideration is that certain pills (maybe the only ones you can take) can have rather serious side effects, particularly if your family has any history of depression. Malaria meds can be funky for everyone but some people consider it a lesser risk to get the disease and then treat it than to spend prolonged periods on meds which...I've heard all kinds of horror stories about the older ones. Suffice it to say that if people start to notice you getting paranoid and withdrawn they should take you off before you throw yourself out a window, for example.

4. My last piece of advice is to do the research before you hit the stage in which you get your meds, because travel clinicians can sometimes be pushy about the brands they want you to have without regard for your allergies or preferences.

Anyway, that's my general advice from experience. I'm sure that your trip will be fantastic. I would plan on your own water (depending) and on bringing a lot of snacks for the field as most safari food is bound to be questionable. Very likely you'll be in a touristy area where they'll be able to treat you safely for whatever goes wrong and you'll have access to a variety of foods. Good luck!

[des1713]

Thanks soooo much for the detailed information. I think my next step will be to consult with a travel clinic and then talk to my doctor. It would be Kenya and Tanzania. You sound like a very experienced traveller!

First, you need to go to a travel clinic. Not all of these vaccinations will apply to you depending on where you're off to and how up to date you are. Since you claim it's a safari I'm going to guess Kenya or Tanzania. Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Vaccinations are given intraveniously. Therefore if you have traditional celiac disease in that the problem occurs when you ingest gluten, then one-time injections of material into the blood stream containing gluten might not provoke a reaction at all. For long term effects you should really check with your doctor. I can tell you that I've never personally reacted to any of these vax and I've had them all.

2. Some of these may not apply to you and unless you're entering a country with a visa-yellow fever requisite most of them are adoptive. The purpose of the CDC list is to give you general information and allow you to make informed decisions when it comes to elective vaccination. So. Yellow fever you will either be in an exposure area or you wont. If you are, they will strongly recommend you get the vax. Same with Typhoid and HepA. If you are outside the range it might not matter. You will almost certainly want the Meningitis, HepB and anything you're not up to date on (like Tet and Polio). However, the Rabies vaccine depends mightily on what you intend to be doing. For example, when I recently went to Ethiopia to work with wild wolves I still opted not to get the vaccine because I knew it would be available there, it's expensive and painful and the liklihood of use would be low. Given that you might want to seriously consider whether you'll be exposed to potentially rabid mammals while on your trip and how rural the area will be.

3. Again, knowing your locale would help dramatically but from what you've given I think the most concerning of your meds will probably be the malaria pills you take. I'd try to get ahold of the pharm info before heading to the travel clinic. The other problem you'll want to take under serious consideration is that certain pills (maybe the only ones you can take) can have rather serious side effects, particularly if your family has any history of depression. Malaria meds can be funky for everyone but some people consider it a lesser risk to get the disease and then treat it than to spend prolonged periods on meds which...I've heard all kinds of horror stories about the older ones. Suffice it to say that if people start to notice you getting paranoid and withdrawn they should take you off before you throw yourself out a window, for example.

4. My last piece of advice is to do the research before you hit the stage in which you get your meds, because travel clinicians can sometimes be pushy about the brands they want you to have without regard for your allergies or preferences.

Anyway, that's my general advice from experience. I'm sure that your trip will be fantastic. I would plan on your own water (depending) and on bringing a lot of snacks for the field as most safari food is bound to be questionable. Very likely you'll be in a touristy area where they'll be able to treat you safely for whatever goes wrong and you'll have access to a variety of foods. Good luck!

[lovegrov]

Injectable vaccines and medications, as well as IV fluids, do not contain gluten. I've heard this from a celiac doctor the pharmacist who maintains glutenfreedrugs.com. In five years I've never heard of anybody finding an injectable with gluten.

richard