Recommended Vaccinations and Preventive Medications
The following vaccines may be recommended for your travel to South Asia. 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). 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, if you plan to visit rural farming areas and under special circumstances, such as a known outbreak of Japanese encephalitis.
Malaria: your risk of malaria may be high in these countries, including cities. See your health care provider for a prescription anti-malarial drug. For details concerning risk and preventive medications, see Malaria Information for Travelers to South Asia .
Rabies, if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas, like camping, hiking or bicycling or various occupational activities.
Typhoid, 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 food sold by street vendors Vaccination is particularly important because of the presence of Salmonella-typhi strains resistant to multiple antibiotics in this region. There have been recent reports of typhoid drug resistance in India and Nepal .
As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria and measles and a one-time dose of polio for adults.
The mission of IFRE Volunteers is to offer the most affordable as well as the highest quality volunteer and humanitarian abroad experiences - enabling us to make a contribution for all of humanity in its quest to make the world a better place. Through our volunteer and humanitarian trips abroad, we aim to spread love and compassion worldwide while improving the lives of destitute children and less-fortunate communities. We at IFRE also seek sustainable solutions in the fields of education, healthcare, conservation efforts and development issues through international volunteering.
