I am about to go to Burkina Faso, where yellow fever vaccine is mandatory. When I went to get the shot, they were very keen to jab me with every concoction on offer for every possible disease around.
I have never been fond of the idea of so many vaccines, just something about introducing foreign anitbodies and provoking an imune response by making me sick that makes me uneasy.

I might be ill informed, maybe it's just a really good idea to get vaccinated for everything under the sun and there are no ill effects to it.

What do you think?

I agree with you.

I would go for the minimum number of shots. Yellow fever, Hep A, update your tetnus and take alot of supplements like Ultra Parex from Metagenics. (It preps your body for potential parasites and makes you an inhospitable host.)

Use the antibiotic hand cleaners and take the one-a-day malaria meds and maybe some garlic tabs.

You will be fine!

TJB

Check out

http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destinations/africa/burkina_faso.html#4

Would be interested to know what else they wanted to give you as Hep, YF and childhood updates are all that are really recommended.

It is NOT a clean country, my what a surprise in Africa, but should have no worries just following Dr. Tim's advice and the website.

We've always just followed the CDC recommendations and had good results.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by EXPRESS:
I am about to go to Burkina Faso, where yellow fever vaccine is mandatory. When I went to get the shot, they were very keen to jab me with every concoction on offer for every possible disease around.
I have never been fond of the idea of so many vaccines, just something about introducing foreign anitbodies and provoking an imune response by making me sick that makes me uneasy.

I might be ill informed, maybe it's just a really good idea to get vaccinated for everything under the sun and there are no ill effects to it.

What do you think?

I think prevention of deadly diseases is well worth the discomfort and pain - like insurance of any sort. We all hate to pay for something we might not need - one flood, one fire, one major accident, one extended illness - never expected and far more devestating than imaginable yet we all say "Thank God" when the insurance pays up (yes, I agree, after a major battle with the inurance company).

Wat to be informed rather than listen to a bunch of ill-informed crap from people you don't know, whose credentials are questionable and whose intent is unclear?
Go here:
Center for Disease Control
Look at the maps and tables and read the updates.
I am in no way connected to the CDC, I get not a penny from them nor do I have any friends to whom I owe anything there. I would and do follow their recommendations for prevention. We go on hunts to far off places dreaming of taking the trophy of a lifetime and doing it on our own with our own hands and our own rifles. We never expect the PH to need to squeeze off a shot but some live to tell the tale only because of that "insurance" shot by the PH.

Hello EXPRESS
The minimum you need are the following

1) Yellow fever vaccination, they will not let you enter the country without it.

2) Meningococcal meningitis vaccine, this disease is endemic in that area and can be life threatening and/or cause brain damage.

3) Hepatitis A vaccine

4) Anti Malarial prophylaxis. This is a very high risk Malaria area.

I was there last year and will be going again end of March.
I agree with CCMDoc go to the CDC site and review the Recommendations yourself.

Regards
Aziz

As one who is involved in public health I cant really support not getting the vaccines. I see all kinds of misinformation and fear being given even here in the US about vaccines. It is cheap insurance period. Almost all vaccines given are killed variants and as such there is no risk of developing the disease from the shot contradictory to popular myth. The majority of the vaccines are also now thiomersal free. There is still no definative proof that it ever was a problem, so should not be a consideration there either. The only wild card so to speak would be an allergic reaction to something in a vaccine. The risk there is minute. The live vaccines given are attenuted as well and pose almost no risk. The obvious exception of course is someone who is immunocompromised. It is much easier, cheaper, and less detrimental to prevent the diseases in the first place. Check the CDC reccomendations for the area you will be in and get the shots. The only one I would say is optional is rabies and at that one needs to look at the risk for a particular area. It is the only one I didnt take.

I've taken all the damned things including Hep A & B. (The extra precautions of hunting DG.) I held up on one because it causes problems in a % of people over 60. However, my brother took it, and I figured if he survived, I would too.

It is a good thing and with travel both in Europe and Africa, and eating seafood (oysters) here at home, I am better off for it. Kudude

As someone in the medical field (Family Med) I think that the risks are really minimal for the vaccines compared to the downside of the diseases involved.

When I went to Zim I got everything that the CDC suggested, including Rabies.

Yellow Fever is one of the vaccines that has a little more side effects than some of the others though. That said, it seems to be a requirement, and Yellow Fever is nasty stuff.

Have fun on the trip

The fundamental problem here is that people weigh the vaccine against it's possible side effects, instead of weighing the vaccine versus contracting the deadly illness which it prevents. Vaccines are the single greatest success story in public health.

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:

When I went to Zim I got everything that the CDC suggested, including Rabies.

Holy crap. I have never got any vaccine foir Africa except the normal tetanus, Africa or not.

The CDC probably recommends no travel to Africa!

I went to Africa God only knows how many times, without taking anything except malaria tablets.

4 years ago, a doctor friend suggested I go to a specialist hospital here and take some shots which he recmmended.

I ended up being jabbed by what looked like an alphabitical concoctions from A to Z!

Americans have a "gee how bad could it be" attitude about some bugs simply because we NEVER or almost never see the disease in action here.

I had untreated dysentary for over a week due to location and circumstances and unless you've "been there" it is useless to try and discribe how completely f*cked that was. It took me several months to fully feel right. I've since had every shot that was even close to necessary for travel and have not had any more "fun".

I think it's foolish not get the recommended shots. If you come down with something it could do more than just ruin your trip. There's shit out there that WILL kill you given half a chance.

quote:

Reply

I always look at the CDC reccomendations and at least feel I am taking the proper procedures to insure a health smart hunt. When hunting in Namibia in 06 there was an outbreak of Polio. I had been vaccinated against polio numerous times in my past, guess what, got a booster anyway. For a period of time there if you landed at the airport you got "their" vaccination. It wasn't an option. I also got the Typhiod vaccine, took malaria prophylaxis daily and made it without a hitch. I am researching now what I need before returning this August. Play it safe and do the prevention reccommended. drwes

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Smith:
As one who is involved in public health I cant really support not getting the vaccines. I see all kinds of misinformation and fear being given even here in the US about vaccines. It is cheap insurance period. Almost all vaccines given are killed variants and as such there is no risk of developing the disease from the shot contradictory to popular myth. The majority of the vaccines are also now thiomersal free. There is still no definative proof that it ever was a problem, so should not be a consideration there either. The only wild card so to speak would be an allergic reaction to something in a vaccine. The risk there is minute. The live vaccines given are attenuted as well and pose almost no risk. The obvious exception of course is someone who is immunocompromised. It is much easier, cheaper, and less detrimental to prevent the diseases in the first place. Check the CDC reccomendations for the area you will be in and get the shots. The only one I would say is optional is rabies and at that one needs to look at the risk for a particular area. It is the only one I didnt take.

Express, Mike hit this one out of the park. I can't believe we are having this conversation I was 62 when I had all of the inoculations, still verticle.....

Read Mike Smith, remember better safe than sorry, If you get some of that stuff your toast, and thats the bottom line. I always keep up to date with Tetnus, Hep A, Yellow fever and take Mefloquine once a week ( some react to this but I get by very well with it).

I also take strong pain pills, Doxycycline, and Cipro to Africa for emergency measures, Doxy is a good shotgun medicine, and Cipro is good for stomach problems..

If you are on medication then seperate it or take double amounts and put it in two seperate places like in your luggage and your carry on..that way you won't normally get seperated from it.

I suggest your try your Malaria pros BEFORE you go and thats real good advise....

I'm no saw bones, but I been there many times and learned a few hard lessons. Sickness or seperation from your meds can ruin a good safari..Use your head, be prepared, take the proper steps, and you will be ahead of the game.

The times I went overseas with the Army they give us shot after shot. Didn't make me sick and I am healthy now.

I worked in some of the worst areas in Africa and conctacted a fever in Angola that almost killed me. I made it home alive and my doctor, a tropical medicine specialist, could not diagnose it. After a month off work, just resting and drinking fluids, I got over it.

There are diseases on that continent that few if any western physicians have ever seen. Get all the shots that CDC suggests, and take along a kit containing cipro, vicodin, immodium, a gentle laxative, sterile syrnges, and vitamins. I always carry a small first aid kit, as scratches can become infected almost immediately in the bush. Moleskin, compresses, tweezers, a good topical antibiotic with pain killer added and lots of sports strips and alcohol wipes are a must.

We always kept a container of baby wipes on the flight deck that had been half filled with isopropyl alcohol for wiping our hands when we shook hands with some chief out in the bush.

My last trip, I also caught up on my typhoid. Any African traveler should have a tetanus vaccination within a year of travel.

I worked over there off and on for over eight years and I got deathly ill with dysentery in Ethiopia. The Red Cross fixed me up. The cipro will attenuate dysentery and other stomach ailments. I'm not a doctor, just a guy who has been in some of the most septic spots in Africa, so I thought I'd pass this along for you. I caught benign TB there, just walking around. Got it treated, so no problem, but it's out there.

Also, don't forget travel insurance and absolutley join Med Jet Assist. You can ask Wendell Reich who posts here but is in Reno now, (just talked with him an hour ago), about the necessity of having Med Jet Assist. It can save you a fortune if you end up in some African hospital. And your life.