Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Information Desk
Reload this Page >

Recommended vaccination for Asia trip

Recommended vaccination for Asia trip

Old Aug 27, 2016, 11:50 pm
  #16  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Boulder
Programs: AA Plat, CX Silver
Posts: 2,361
I wouldn't go to a PCP, I'd skip straight to a travel doctor.
txflyer77 is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2016, 5:30 am
  #17  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC, IB+, TAM multi+
Posts: 453
Don't get malaria profylaxis unless you absolutely have to (go to a very high malaria incidence area). And even then, only take Malarone, never ever take lariam. Especially not if you are a young male (<30 years of age).

One of my friends became absolutely totally bonkers crazy due to that stuff, even becoming aggressive, getting very strange dreams etc. It has reportedly even killed people.

Don't buy expensive anti mosquito stuff in your home country. Instead, buy the stuff that is used by locals. Spray repellant, use one of those things you plug into a power outlet while you are sleeping which emits anti-mosquito stuff, and cover yourself during the night even when it's hot with a thin blanket, and use a fan rather than AC (the fan tends to upset the mosquitos a bit). If you are truly going into the bush bush, use a mosquito net (buy it locally for cheap), and use one of those poisonous 'spirals' which you can light with your lighter and which slowly burn during the night, emitting anti-mosquito stuff. I don't think the latter stuff is very good for your for an extended amount of time but it's an option. I used them in the Brazilian bush bush lacking other options.

Zika, chikungunya and especially dengue are almost as dangerous/unpleasant as malaria and you can't do anything about them anyway, so I don't see why it makes sense to spend hundreds of euros on malaria profylaxis (though even the fact that my insurance would have covered it, I didn't use it) which is also very detrimental to your body in the long run. Of course if you really are going to malaria hotspots it could be necessary, but avoid it at all costs.

Last edited by Bakpapier; Aug 28, 2016 at 5:36 am
Bakpapier is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2016, 6:38 am
  #18  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: EWR
Posts: 180
Typhoid is almost universally recommended but of Americans I know who have visited regions where it is endemic (Latin America, Asia), few get vaccinated. The side effects of both the vaccine and oral vaccination, as well as the cost, seem to make it not worth it.
acmys is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2016, 7:44 am
  #19  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,269
Originally Posted by acmys
Typhoid is almost universally recommended but of Americans I know who have visited regions where it is endemic (Latin America, Asia), few get vaccinated. The side effects of both the vaccine and oral vaccination, as well as the cost, seem to make it not worth it.
Be careful accepting medical advice on Flyertalk.
The typhoid vaccine is not expensive and has relatively low side effect incidence.
Adam1222 is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2016, 7:44 am
  #20  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: 60137
Posts: 10,498
Originally Posted by txflyer77
I wouldn't go to a PCP, I'd skip straight to a travel doctor.
This is a joke...right?
sonofzeus is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2016, 8:42 am
  #21  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Wisconsin
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Delta PM
Posts: 323
Originally Posted by sonofzeus
This is a joke...right?
Probably not in a lot of healthcare systems. If I ask my PCP about travel-related vaccinations or medications, she refers me to the travel clinic where they specialize in that sort of thing. The only time I go to the PCP is if it's for a booster of a pretty standard vaccination that I started with the travel doc (like Hep A).
LizGross144 is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2016, 8:49 am
  #22  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
For advice about mosquitos:

If you're going to an area where there are Anopheles or Aedes mozzies and malaria, dengue, etc. you can buy clothing impregnated with permethrin or spray it on yourself. It persists through several launderings. If you'll be in the bush you can buy mosquito nets impregnated with permethrin.

Be careful of mosquito coils or plug in cookers, particularly if you have asthma or other respiratory condition. I don't, and yet a dose of "FumaKilla" in-room plug-in cooker with past ille's in Perú forced me (reeling and gasping for air) out of the room until it could be properly ventilated and took me over an hour to recover from breathing difficulties and feeling I was suffocating.

If you buy local repellent be sure it's the right kind and percentage - and still within its pull date. Read about repellents and their effects - picaridin and DEET are the ones recommended most.

(When I travel to malaria us areas such as East or Central Africa, Papua New Guinea or Vanuatu I usually take Malarone with me - and would take it presumptively if I had malarial symptoms. I always have dosage information with me. But I do have it for malaria us areas - I've known of people who didn't pay attention and who died because they didn't protect themselves and got falciparum (the worst, and the most common in locales I've mentioned but not in the Americas) malaria and had it become cerebral.)

Do use good sources: a travel clinic or Doctor may in fact be better informed than your family practitioner - about travel medicine. Your own practitioner may be important if you have a record of any condition (such as asthma) as well. There are decent travel sites, such as CDC, NHS or IAMAT. Don't just rely on a general site like FT.

Last edited by JDiver; Aug 28, 2016 at 9:14 am
JDiver is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2016, 11:28 am
  #23  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Boulder
Programs: AA Plat, CX Silver
Posts: 2,361
Originally Posted by sonofzeus
This is a joke...right?
No.

Not all PCP's are well-versed in travel medicine, especially when talking about more than just vaccines. Travel doctors specialize in the topic, which is important when talking about conditions that can't be prevented by a vaccine like dengue.

Certainly there are primary care doctors who can make perfectly sound recommendations in this area but I'd go to specialist.
txflyer77 is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2016, 1:40 pm
  #24  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,269
Originally Posted by txflyer77
No.

Not all PCP's are well-versed in travel medicine, especially when talking about more than just vaccines. Travel doctors specialize in the topic, which is important when talking about conditions that can't be prevented by a vaccine like dengue.

Certainly there are primary care doctors who can make perfectly sound recommendations in this area but I'd go to specialist.

Risk factors are highly individualized. A PCP knows your health better than a "travel doctor", which is often a storefront moonlighting gig.

If you have a good PCP, if he really thinks something is beyond his expertise, he'll make a referral. A PCP and a "travel doctor" will consult the same materials.
Adam1222 is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2016, 2:41 pm
  #25  
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: BOI
Posts: 223
I'm not sure about the answer to the OP's question, but I do know I'm headed to a doctor's appointment this week and I've got my list of questions for him about how best to go about planning our family trip (flights. what to see, hotels, all around recommendations) to S. America next summer.

Last edited by travellingwineO; Aug 29, 2016 at 4:22 pm
travellingwineO is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2016, 3:06 pm
  #26  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: SJC
Programs: UA 1MM
Posts: 262
As others have said, IF you have access to a travel medicine clinic, those will be far better prepared and informed than your average PCP.

For example, in SF, I've gone here: http://www.sfcdcp.org/aitc.html
jeebus is offline  
Old Aug 31, 2016, 12:42 am
  #27  
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: ANC, SAP
Programs: AS MVP Gold, Priority Pass
Posts: 1,860
Originally Posted by milfweed20
Hi guys,

I´m a European guy planning a trip to Asia in February (BKK, HKG, SIN, KL) and was wondering what is the recomended vaccination when doing a trip like this.
The trip will have a duration of 3 weeks more and less, and I've read a few informative web sites regarding this issue but most of them seem to play very safe and recomend a ton of vaccines to prevent illnesses.

Knowing that lots of persons who frequent this forum live in western countries I would like to know how you guys approach this theme?
Your heath is nothing to be taken lightly, and a message board such as flyertalk is certainly not the best place to get definitive answers to these kinds of questions. As many others have said, it would be wise to schedule an appointment with your primary care provider to discuss recommendations and risk.
ANC RED-EYE is offline  
Old Aug 31, 2016, 1:51 am
  #28  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,442
Originally Posted by milfweed20
Hi guys,

I´m a European guy planning a trip to Asia in February (BKK, HKG, SIN, KL) and was wondering what is the recomended vaccination when doing a trip like this.
The trip will have a duration of 3 weeks more and less, and I've read a few informative web sites regarding this issue but most of them seem to play very safe and recomend a ton of vaccines to prevent illnesses.

Knowing that lots of persons who frequent this forum live in western countries I would like to know how you guys approach this theme?
None of those cities/regions really need any kind of vaccinations. That said, while it's not mandatory, obviously you can get some shots in advance. (Those have been mentioned already here)

So yes, if you want to "play it very safe", getting shots is a good idea - but it's far from absolutely necessary.
YuropFlyer is offline  
Old Sep 2, 2016, 7:48 am
  #29  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Moscow
Programs: Delta Skymiles, Miles & More, Aadvantage
Posts: 20
Why to ask here, just go to the professional doctor and ask them. I'll be traveling to China for 2 months in two weeks and my doctor is giving me a few shots.
daniiltimin is offline  
Old Sep 2, 2016, 8:49 am
  #30  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Terceira Island
Programs: TP Gold, *G Star Alliance
Posts: 251
First of all let me thank everyone for the huge amount of feedback I´ve received.

Having said that, I´m based in Portugal and decided to schedule a doctor's appointment that is specifically designed for travel purposes called "Consulta do Viajante".

I´ve also spoken with a few people I know that have recently been to these places and will prob only take shots for hep A, typhoid and rabies.
milfweed20 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.