Vaccines

Cost per dose: $60 (adult), $60 (child)

Number of doses: 2

• Hepatitis A is an infection that damages the liver
• You can get Hepatitis A by drinking contaminated water or eating raw fruits and vegetables prepared with contaminated water
• Hepatitis A is a concern when eating locally in developing countries
• The Hepatitis A vaccine series (two doses of Hepatitis A vaccine typically spaced six months apart) will provide lifetime protection against Hepatitis A
• Your first shot should be given at least 24h prior to departure

Cost per dose: $90 (adult), $60 (child)

Number of doses: 3-4

• Hepatitis A and B are viral infections that cause liver damage
• You can get Hepatitis A by drinking contaminated water or eating raw fruit and vegetables prepared with contaminated water
• Hepatitis A is a concern when eating locally in developing countries
• Hepatitis B is spread through sexual contact, contaminated blood products and dirty needles
• While Hepatitis A typically clears after two months, Hepatitis B is a chronic infection
• Vaccination with Twinrix will stop you from developing both Hepatitis A and B
• A standard series is three shots over six months, an accelerated series is three shots within one month and a booster at 1 year
• Your first shot should be at least 24h prior to depar

Cost per dose: $50

Number of doses: 1

Typhoid causes severe stomach upset

• Typhim Vi is an injection while Vivotif comes as pills.
• Typhoid is a concern when eating locally outside of North America and Western Europe, particularly for trips lasting over 2 weeks
• India and Pakistan are hotspots for drug-resistant Typhoid
• Vivotif is a live vaccine, providing 7 years of protection- it may be a good choice if you intend to do multiple international trips
• The injectable option is inactivated (not live) and provides protection for 3 years
• You should get your shot at least 2 weeks prior to your trip

Cost per dose: $140

Number of doses: 1, then booster of Hep A only

• Provides protection against Hepatitis A and Typhoid in one combination shot
• You should get your combination shot at least 2 weeks prior to your trip

• Avoid close contact with wild animals, as scratches and bites may transmit rabies
• Consider getting vaccinated for any trip, particularly if you will be travelling for a prolonged period or if you are are heading somewhere ‘off the beaten track’ where it may take some time to reach reliable healthcare
• If you choose to be vaccinated, you will have three shots spaced over four weeks
• Worldwide, stray dogs and bats carry rabies, and sometimes other animals
• Untreated, rabies is 100% fatal
• You should get 3 shots prior to departure. You should start the series 4 weeks before your trip

• Meningococcal meningitis is a series illness with a high death rate
• Menactra is now routinely given to grade 7 students in Ontario
• The ‘meningitis belt’ in sub-Saharan Africa takes its name from meningitis outbreaks that occur annually during the dry season (December to June)
• If you are traveling to sub-Saharan Africa during the dry season, it is a good idea to get vaccinated

• Yellow fever is a serious illness with a very high death rate (20%) that can result from being bitten by an infected mosquitos in parts of South America and sub-Saharan Africa
• Immigration officials in many Yellow fever-endemic countries will require you to show them your yellow fever vaccination certificate
• Across Canada, Travel Clinics require a special designation to be able to administer Yellow Fever vaccine: Travel Clinic @ MDACC has this designation
• The World Health Organization previously recommended one dose every 10 years
• In 2016, the WHO changed their recommendation so that now one dose of Yellow fever vaccine is thought to provide lifetime immunity (with several exceptions)
• Yellow fever vaccine should be given at least 10 days prior to your trip

• Cholera is common in settings with poor sanitation such as aid and refugee camps
• Individuals with Cholera experience severe diarrhea and abdominal cramps which can lead to dehydration
• Dukoral is a self-administered oral vaccine which can prevent cholera and Traveller’s diarrhea
• Two doses of the liquid vaccine mixture are taken at least a week apart
• Individuals with Cholera experience severe diarrhea and abdominal cramps which can lead to dehydration
• Dukoral is a self-administered oral vaccine which can prevent cholera and Traveller’s diarrhea
• The second dose of Dukoral should be taken at least one week before your trip

• Anyone with a history of chickenpox may develop shingles
• Shingles vaccine is recommended to anyone over 50 to prevent shingles as well as the chronic nerve pain that sometimes results from the infection
• Shingles can be triggered by stress, and, for some, travel is a stressful.

• Tetanus infection (or lockjaw) is thankfully uncommon in Canada, but it certainly does exist abroad
• Make sure you are up to date with your tetanus vaccine
• Tetanus can be transmitted via spider bites as well as rusty nails lodged in the skin
• Tetanus vaccine is always given in conjunction with diphtheria, and sometimes alongside pertussis and/or polio.

• Unfortunately, outbreaks of measles have become quite common across the globe due to reduced uptake in MMR vaccination
• The ‘research’ linking autism to the MMR vaccine has been completely disproven
• In recent years, some measles outbreaks have been traced to airports
• If you are travelling internationally (even to the USA) with infants under 12 months, considering getting an early MMR
• Adults should have evidence of at least one- ideally two- measles-containing vaccines or a history of measles to be considered immune