Typhoid immunisation

[john_p]

Going to Dominican Republic. FCO (Medical) site recommends a jab for typhoid, although has a footnote saying it's "less important for stays in first class conditions". We're staying in a 5* hotel. Should I bother with the jab for this?

Also recommends malaria .. that's tablets isn't it?

I'd ask my doctor, but the receptionist at my local friendly surgery just said I had to fill in a form then hung up on me, so none the wiser for that.

[mechsympathy]

Malaria meds are (AFAIK) all tablets and most need a private prescription, so you can ask your GP about typhoid when you get that.

Typhoid (again AFAIK) is water/faeces borne, so you should be fine in your 5* hotel. If you plan on going out it'd probably be worthwhile getting the jab.

[john_p]

Hmm well will be doing lots of swimming etc .. wonder if that creates more of a risk.

[havoc]

Typhoid jab - get it done. I don't like injections and I hardly felt it, it's no biggie. Usually combined now with Hep A, which is also borne in poorly sanitised water/food, so generally a good idea.

Malaria - get some advice on what type of tablets are recommended for the country you're visiting, and what the risk is. Also look into the cost (private prescription) AND the side-effects of the tablets - both vary massively.

For example - off to Cambodia after Xmas, so have sorted both out recently myself (I HOPE I've got these prices and effects attached to the right tablets, but can't be sure - don't take this as gospel, it's as an example only):-
1) (Malarone?) - V.V. expensive (>£100 for 50), but very few side-effects.
2) (Mefloquine?) - cheap, but LOTS of side-effects, including potential psychological ones - remember the case of the bloke who woke up and was strangling his g/friend in his sleep!
3) (Doxycycline?) - cheap (~£15 for 50), with few serious side-effects, most concerning being heightened photo-sensitivity (i.e. sunburn).

Only other biggie - if you take malaria tablets, TAKE THE FULL COURSE - 1 WEEK BEFORE, 4 WEEKS AFTER RETURN. Why - because it doesn't prevent infection with the parasites, it just kills them in your body in the larval stage - if you stop, the larvae can survive and pupate (right word?) into the dangerous stuff.

Oh - make an appointment with your nurse for the jab, then ask her about Malaria tablets - I found my nurse knew more than my doc did!

>> Edited by havoc on Tuesday 21st December 15:44

[philthy]

As posted above, start taking the malaria pills at least a week before you go. Just as well have the typhoid jab, although having said that, when i had mine before a big world tour I didn't react well to it (you'll probably be ok though).
I was injected at 5:30 on Friday night, started to feel bad by 7 o'clock so went to bed. I woke up on a saturated mattress at 1 in the afternoon...........on Sunday !!. My doctor said it sometimes happens, and that it was just a taster of what the real disease would be like !. If I ever get it, I'll be frightened I'll live through it

Phil

[SlidingSideways]

Which part of the island are you going to? I'd get the Typhoid and HepA jabs wherever you're heading, but maleria/mozzies are apparently more of an issue in the south of the island rather than the north. We went to the north this sumer and I only got bitten a couple of times.

[john_p]

East part, which has had malaria recently, so when my doctor gets back to me I'll have it sorted (plus tetanus which I somehow missed while I was at school..)