OT Vietnam and Cambodia Travel Medical Precautions

[keno]

My wife and I are going to Vietnam and Cambodia in early January on a BackRoads bike trip. For anyone who has been in those countries relatively recently, what innoculations and other medical precautions did you have and take?

BTW, for someone of my vintage, going to those places seems more than a little weird, given the effort I expended avoiding a "free" trip there in the '60s.

Thanks,

keno

[William]

Two sources that are a should read.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1080.html

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1060.html



William

[MassBiker]

Keno,

Tell your general practioner of your plans and he should refer you to a International Travel Specialist who will hook you up.

:beer:

[urchin]

Depending how long you are going for and your own level of 'cautiousness' there are two different schools of thought. When I've traveled to Southeast Asia in the past (Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar) I've never had any vaccinations - however, I am not camping or swimming in lakes etc. and am usually there for less than a month. I have done this numerous times with no problems.

That being said my husband and I are about to leave for 6 months to travel around the world hitting Africa and the Indian subcontinent and himalayas before going to Asia again. This time, because of the length of time and all of the countries we went for full vaccinations. For Asia I believe the recommended are Hep A & B, tetanus, polio booster and maybe malaria pills depending where you will be. All of the recommened vaccines per country are on the CDC website and can usually be obtained from your county health department.

From what I remember from the Backwoods website, it's not 'roughing it' - so it's probably more of a personal call. Feel free to pm me about other questions regarding travel to SE Asia - it's a great place to travel!

[keno]

From my research, there are no mandatories at this time. That being the base case, I want to follow the smart money on this one. We will be there for about two weeks.

keno

[EDS]

The one thing I took was an anti-malaria med. Might want to think about getting a prescription for cipro from your doc just in case, but you can get it without a script (at least you could a few years ago) over there so not necessary.

[Alexi]

ehhh when I lived in Cambodia I just took the malaria pills, but remember to pack tp, most of the toilets you will find have that sink deal for washing off your uhh fecal matter.

Where in Cambodia are you going?

[Ginger]

Keno,

I just went through this and the recommendations will depend on which part of the country you're planning on visiting. An International Travel Specialist (usually a nurse practitioner) can set you up with the right schedule of vaccination for wherever you're planning on going. Sure, you can figure it out yourself...but they also set you up with all the scripts etc. My recent visit cost me $55, but it got me all the information on all the nooks and crannies of the countries I was planning on visiting.

Before you visit, you give them information on where you're going and the accommodations you'll be using (tent vs. hotel etc.)

[Blue Jays]

Keno, during my recent month-long trip to the Chiang-Mai, Chiang-Rai, and Bangkok regions of Thailand as well as Myanmar and Vietnam there were several drug precautions that were taken:


hepatitis A & B
tetanus booster shot
polio booster shot
precautionary prescriptions for macrolide antibacterial drugs such as Zithromax
no vaccine exists for Dengue Fever, so prevent mosquito bites as much as possible


Other simple measures:
-- Keep others well-advised of your travel plans and itinerary
-- Only drink liquids from sealed containers...no local water or ice cubes
-- Brush your teeth using bottled water
-- Keep mouth closed in shower or while washing face to avoid swallowing water
-- Carry a small vial of Purell or similar hand sanitizer and use frequently
-- Avoid fresh fruit unless you peel them yourself, such as bananas, apples, and oranges

These steps sometime sounds like overkill. Based on my experience, it's MUCH easier and less hassle to stay healthy rather than dealing with a health setback in Southeast Asia. It is wonderful there and the people in that region are very welcoming and hospitable to American visitors. I find the time-honored "wai" to be especially gracious.

[Alexi]

-- Only drink liquids from sealed containers...no local water or ice cubes


in cambodia the ice cubes are all made in factories with purified water, and everyone (even the locals) drinks bottled water.

[Viper]

Send Chuck Norris a PM. Didn't he make like 58 movies during the 80's, from that neck of the woods?