Immunisations

• Confirm primary courses and boosters are up to date including vaccines given to special groups because of risk exposure or complications (e.g. hepatitis B for health care workers, influenza and pneumococcal vaccines for the elderly).

• Courses or boosters usually advised: diphtheria; tetanus; hepatitis A.

• Vaccines sometimes advised: tuberculosis; hepatitis B; rabies; cholera; typhoid.

• A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age coming from areas with risk of yellow fever transmission.

Notes on the diseases mentioned above

• Tetanus is contracted through dirty cuts and scratches. This is a serious infection of the nervous system.

• Typhoid and hepatitis A are spread through contaminated food and water. Typhoid causes septicaemia and hepatitis A causes liver inflammation and jaundice. In risk areas you should be immunised if good hygiene is impossible.

• Cholera is spread through contaminated water and food. More common during floods and rainy seasons. Those unable to take effective precautions, for example, during wars and when working in refugee camps or slums may consider vaccination.

• Tuberculosis is most commonly transmitted via droplet infection. BCG vaccination is recommended for travellers under 16 years of age who will be living or working with local people for a prolonged period of time (three months or more). Following individual risk assessment, vaccination may also be considered for travellers under the age of 35 years who may be at high risk through their occupation abroad eg healthcare workers.

• Diphtheria is also spread by droplet infection through close personal contact. Vaccination is advised if close contact with locals in risk areas is likely.

• Hepatitis B is spread through infected blood, contaminated needles and sexual intercourse, It affects the liver, causes jaundice and occasionally liver failure. Vaccination is recommended for those at occupational risk (e.g. health care workers), for long stays or frequent travel to medium and high risk areas, for those more likely to be exposed such as children (from cuts and scratches) and those who may need surgical procedures.

• Rabies is spread through bites or licks on broken skin from an infected animal. It is always fatal. Vaccination is advised for those going to risk areas that will be remote from a reliable source of vaccine. Even when pre-exposure vaccines have been received urgent medical advice should be sought after any animal bite.

• Malaria is endemic in certain parts of South Africa and further details are available on our Malaria pages.

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