Vaccinations, etc

Travel vaccinations

India does not require vaccinations for entry into the country. However, there are a lot of things that one can catch there (and other places), so vaccines prior to travel are highly recommended.

You will need to make an appointment with a travel clinic to prepare for your trip to India. In order to be prepared, it is best to gather up your vaccination records if you have them. Try hard to find them, it is really helpful to know what vaccines you have already had.

Vaccinations your travel clinic may recommend:

• Hepatitis A- food transmission: a series of two shots or series of 3 shots as a combination with Hepatitis B vaccine (if you have not had this series). You may want to start this series soon if you are going to get both shots before the trip.
  
• Hepatitis B- transmitted by blood or body fluids: a series of three shots (if you have not already had this series)
  
• Typhoid- transmitted via contaminated water supply: offered as an oral vaccine; you take a pill every other day for 3 doses
• Tetanus-diptheria booster- if you are due for a tetanus shot, you may be offered one that also contains a booster vaccine against pertussis (TDaP). If you have a choice, the one with pertussis is not a bad idea- pertussis is making a comeback in the US, too.
  
• Polio booster for adults -one-time
  
• Measles booster dose if needed
  

Additional vaccinations which may be listed as optional:

• Rabies (We did not get this vaccine the last time we visited. There are stray dogs around, and I suppose it is possible-you'll have to decide for yourself. We passed on the rabies vaccine, but we did get travel insurance that would pay for an emergency transport if needed- more on travel insurance later)
• Japanese encephalitis (probably won't need this, but it may depend on how far south we go. I will let you know when I know. We didn't need this for our last trip.)
  

Medications you should also get prescriptions for:

• Malaria medication (several kinds- some you take daily, some you take weekly- ask the travel nurse or doctor about the differences. Some are generic, and will be cheaper)
  
• Antibiotics in case of infectious diarrhea (usually Cipro (ciprofloxacin) or Levaquin (levofloxacin))

You will not need to get a Yellow fever vaccination for travel to India unless you plan to go on to a country that is at risk afterward.

Where to go for your vaccinations:

You will want to go to either a travel clinic or an infectious disease office which has a travel specialty. Here are some places you can look into for your vaccinations, there are surely others as well if these are not convenient for you. Be prepared to spend probably a few hundred dollars on these vaccinations. In general, it is easier, cheaper and more comprehensive to go through a travel clinic than your family doctor.

In Colorado:

• http://www.passporthealthco.com/- offices in Denver and Boulder
• Western Infectious Disease: the infectious disease group I work with has a travel clinic through their office
• (303) 425-3359
  
• 3885 Upham St Wheat Ridge, CO 80033-4880

In California:

• San Francisco Bay Area: http://www.passportsf.com/
• Los Angeles: http://www.passporthealthla.com/

A good page to check out for traveler's health is: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/indianrg.htm