Health Information for Travelers to Countries in Australia
Routine Vaccinations
Before travel, be sure you and your children are up to date on all routine immunizations according to schedules approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP). See the schedule for adults and the schedule for infants and children. Some schedules can be accelerated for travel.
See your doctor at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for shots to take effect. If it is less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see your doctor. It might not be too late to get your shots or medications as well as other information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.
Recommended Vaccinations and Preventive Medications
The following vaccines may be recommended for your travel to Australia and the South Pacific. 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). (except for Australia and New Zealand). 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.
Japanese encephalitis, Papua New Guinea or the Islands of Torres Strait in Australia. Local transmission documented but rare.
Malaria: if you are traveling to a malaria-risk area in this region, see your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug. For details concerning risk and preventive medications, see Malaria Information for Travelers to Australia and the South Pacific.
Rabies, 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, (except for Australia and New Zealand), particularly if you are visiting developing countries in this region. 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.
As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria and measles.
Required Vaccinations
None.
Diseases found in Australia and the South Pacific (risk can vary by country and region within a country; quality of in-country surveillance also varies)
The preventive measures you need to take while traveling in this region depend on the areas you visit and the length of time you stay. You should observe the precautions listed in this document in most areas of this region. However, in highly developed areas of Australia and New Zealand, you should observe health precautions similar to those that would apply while traveling in the United States.
Malaria
Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness.
Humans get malaria from the bite of a mosquito infected with the parasite. Prevent this serious disease by seeing your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug and by protecting yourself against mosquito bites. All travelers to malaria-risk areas in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, including infants, children, and former residents of these countries should take an antimalarial drug. Papua New Guinea has risk in all areas under the elevation of 1800 meters (5906 feet). The Solomon Islands has risk in all areas, except for the southern province of Rennell Island and Bellona Island. Vanuatu has risk throughout all its islands.
For additional information on malaria risk and prevention, see Malaria Information for Travelers to Australia and the South Pacific.
There is no risk for malaria in Australia, Christmas Island, Cook Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia (Tahiti), Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn, Samoa, American Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Wake Island, Wallis and Futuna.
Yellow Fever
There is no risk for yellow fever in Australia and the South Pacific. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain of these countries if you are coming from countries in South America or sub-Saharan Africa. For detailed information, see Comprehensive Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements. Also, find the nearest authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccine center.
Food and Waterborne Diseases
Avoid buying food or drink from street vendors, because it is relatively easy for such food to become contaminated.
Make sure your food and drinking water are safe. Food and waterborne diseases are the primary cause of illness in travelers. Travelers’ diarrhea can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites, which are found throughout Australia and the South Pacific and can contaminate food or water. Infections may cause diarrhea and vomiting (E. coli, Salmonella, cholera, and parasites), fever (typhoid fever and toxoplasmosis), or liver damage ( hepatitis).
Additional information: see the Safe Food and Water page for a list of links.
Other Disease Risks
Risk of infection is quite variable within this region. Vaccine rates are high in Australia and New Zealand, but rates of certain infectious diseases are high in travelers to other islands. Dengue, filariasis, Ross River virus, and Murray Valley encephalitis are diseases carried by insects that also occur in this region. Scrub typhus and other rickettsial infections are present in this region. Protecting yourself against insect and tick bites (see below) will help to prevent these diseases. Japanese encephalitis is present in Papua New Guinea and the Torres Strait and far northern Australia. Other hazards for travelers include ciguatera poisoning, which occurs frequently on some of the islands. Snake and spider bites are also a risk.
Read Other Health Risks & After you return home
Before travel, be sure you and your children are up to date on all routine immunizations according to schedules approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP). See the schedule for adults and the schedule for infants and children. Some schedules can be accelerated for travel.
See your doctor at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for shots to take effect. If it is less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see your doctor. It might not be too late to get your shots or medications as well as other information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.
Recommended Vaccinations and Preventive Medications
The following vaccines may be recommended for your travel to Australia and the South Pacific. 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). (except for Australia and New Zealand). 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.
Japanese encephalitis, Papua New Guinea or the Islands of Torres Strait in Australia. Local transmission documented but rare.
Malaria: if you are traveling to a malaria-risk area in this region, see your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug. For details concerning risk and preventive medications, see Malaria Information for Travelers to Australia and the South Pacific.
Rabies, 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, (except for Australia and New Zealand), particularly if you are visiting developing countries in this region. 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.
As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria and measles.
Required Vaccinations
None.
Diseases found in Australia and the South Pacific (risk can vary by country and region within a country; quality of in-country surveillance also varies)
The preventive measures you need to take while traveling in this region depend on the areas you visit and the length of time you stay. You should observe the precautions listed in this document in most areas of this region. However, in highly developed areas of Australia and New Zealand, you should observe health precautions similar to those that would apply while traveling in the United States.
Malaria
Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness.
Humans get malaria from the bite of a mosquito infected with the parasite. Prevent this serious disease by seeing your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug and by protecting yourself against mosquito bites. All travelers to malaria-risk areas in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, including infants, children, and former residents of these countries should take an antimalarial drug. Papua New Guinea has risk in all areas under the elevation of 1800 meters (5906 feet). The Solomon Islands has risk in all areas, except for the southern province of Rennell Island and Bellona Island. Vanuatu has risk throughout all its islands.
For additional information on malaria risk and prevention, see Malaria Information for Travelers to Australia and the South Pacific.
There is no risk for malaria in Australia, Christmas Island, Cook Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia (Tahiti), Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn, Samoa, American Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Wake Island, Wallis and Futuna.
Yellow Fever
There is no risk for yellow fever in Australia and the South Pacific. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain of these countries if you are coming from countries in South America or sub-Saharan Africa. For detailed information, see Comprehensive Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements. Also, find the nearest authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccine center.
Food and Waterborne Diseases
Avoid buying food or drink from street vendors, because it is relatively easy for such food to become contaminated.
Make sure your food and drinking water are safe. Food and waterborne diseases are the primary cause of illness in travelers. Travelers’ diarrhea can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites, which are found throughout Australia and the South Pacific and can contaminate food or water. Infections may cause diarrhea and vomiting (E. coli, Salmonella, cholera, and parasites), fever (typhoid fever and toxoplasmosis), or liver damage ( hepatitis).
Additional information: see the Safe Food and Water page for a list of links.
Other Disease Risks
Risk of infection is quite variable within this region. Vaccine rates are high in Australia and New Zealand, but rates of certain infectious diseases are high in travelers to other islands. Dengue, filariasis, Ross River virus, and Murray Valley encephalitis are diseases carried by insects that also occur in this region. Scrub typhus and other rickettsial infections are present in this region. Protecting yourself against insect and tick bites (see below) will help to prevent these diseases. Japanese encephalitis is present in Papua New Guinea and the Torres Strait and far northern Australia. Other hazards for travelers include ciguatera poisoning, which occurs frequently on some of the islands. Snake and spider bites are also a risk.
Read Other Health Risks & After you return home
posted by oleron holidays at 3:09 PM
1 Comments:
Great blog I hope we can work to build a better health care system as we are in a major crisis and health insurance is a major aspect to many.
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