Recommendation for Healthy Living in Mexico
Vaccines for Your Protection in Mexico
1. Hepatitis A
Hepatitis stands for inflammation of the liver, which has many causes. For the traveller, however, viral hepatitis is a common concern. There are four hepatitis viruses of which all travellers should be particularly aware of: A, B, C, and E. Hepatitis A and E are transmitted primarily by contaminated food and water. The high-risk areas are developing countries where poor sanitation results in faecal contamination of groundwater, tap water, and well water. Outbreaks of hepatitis A are also caused by contaminated food that has been eaten uncooked or has been contaminated by an infected foodhandler. Nowadays, there are only available vaccines for Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B.
Recommendations for travellers:
Active vaccination gives very effective and long-term protection against hepatitis A. It can be given from one year of age.
2. Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B and C is transmitted through activities that involve contact with blood or blood-derived fluids, sexual contact, exchange of bodily fluids, and injections from contaminated needles (e.g., tattooing or body piercing) or syringes. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is highly endemic in Southeast Asia, the Pacific regions and West Africa. It is common in Mexico, South and Central America, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. It is present but rare in most of Europe, Australia and North.
Recommendations for travellers / Vaccination is advised for:
• Those going to medium and high risk areas LIKE MEXICO and likely to be putting themselves at risk through their intended lifestyle - for example, volunteers undertaking activities such as construction work which may result in bleeding skin injuries and military personnel. Also for all frequent travellers to these areas and those staying for longer periods (e.g. more than 1 month).
• Those who may be exposed to blood or blood products through their occupation or life style such as health care workers and ambulance crews and those likely to take sexual risks or use intravenous drugs.
• Young children mixing with locals in schools where cuts and scratches are common or living in poor hygienic conditions.
• Those with pre-existing medical conditions who may need medical attention or surgical procedures while abroad (e.g. if pregnant or may become pregnant).
3. Typhoid Fever
Typhoid fever is an acute, life-threatening febrile illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella enterica Typhi. Clinical symptoms are high fever, headache, malaise, anorexia, splenomegaly (large spleen) and relative bradycardia (fever with low heart rate). The transmission of Typhoid fever is mainly by food and drink that have been contaminated with excreta of a human case or carrier (faeces or urine). A single dose of vaccine confers protection for three years. An estimated 22 million cases of this disease and 200,000 related deaths occur worldwide each year.
Recommendations for Travellers
• Vaccination is recommended for travellers IN MEXICO to areas where food and water are likely to be contaminated. When the risk is small vaccination may be limited only to those unable to maintain their own hygiene precautions or staying for long periods.
• These vaccines do not protect against para-typhoid.
• A previous typhoid illness does not confer reliable immunity and, when indicated, vaccine should still be used.
4. Rabies.
If you are going to have a long-stay travel (or you are living) in a “third world country” where this untreatable disease is still endemic makes an obligation inform you about the benefit of being vaccinated. In this century, there is not cure for this disease once clinical manifestations show up; only prevention with vaccines. Rabies can infect many animals, but the dog, fox and vampire bat are those most likely to come in contact with humans, Infections occurs as the result of a bite or lick by an infected animal; the virus is transmitted in the animals’ saliva. From 20 to 90 days after, Rabies progresses from a non-specific initial phase to paresis-paralysis-spasm of swallowing muscles and delirium-convulsions-coma and death. Modern rabies vaccines are well tolerated, with only minor adverse reaction (local pain, erythema, swelling and pruritus). These vaccines do not keep you away from the recommendation of avoiding contact with wild and captive animals and with free-roaming animals, especially dogs and cats, and he must also seek post-exposure treatment if bitten.
Recommendations for Travellers
This vaccine should be considered for:
• 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. In the west cost of Mexico there have been cases of Human Rabies transmitted by Bats….
• Those going to countries where rabies is present and will have regular contact with animals (e.g. veterinarians, zoologists, bat handlers).
• Those going to countries where rabies is present and if will be more than 24 hours away from a reliable source of post-exposure rabies vaccine and specific immunoglobulin.
• Health and laboratory workers who may come into contact professionally with specimens or patients infected with the virus.
5. ANNUAL SHOT OF INFLUENZA
http://www.healthylivinginmexico.com/
influenza.htm
6. PNEUMOCCOCCUS
http://www.healthylivinginmexico.com/
pneumococcus.htm
For further information, I recommend visiting the following Web Sites: Department of Health and Human Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health Information For International Travel, http://www.cdc.gov/travel/camerica.htm
World Health Organization. Vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccines and vaccination in International Travel And Health 2005 [Online]. Available at
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2005/
9241580364_chap6.pdf
