I just got out of Bass pro Shop where a store clerk behind the gun counter said there are required series of shots that one has to take before departing for africa! and these have to be endorsed on your passport, and presented to the ticketing agent here to proceede. Anyone aware of this.

Depends on where you're going.

Your store clerk probably has never been out of the neighborhood he was born in, much less ever had a passport.

Immunization is dependent on the area in Africa you are going to travel in. Some places will require certain shots while at other places it is only recommended that you take certain preventive measures. For example, in most places in Namibia and South Africa, except in the northern sections of the country, no immunizations are required. Also, immunizations are recorded on a "shot card" (booklet), not in your passport.

I would also not take that store clerk's recommendation as far as guns and ammo are concerned.

Namibiahunter

Check out the CDC website. It lists the recommended innoculations by country. About the only immunization I can recall that may be required in some countries is for yellow fever.

The CDC covers itself and is influenced by big medicine so take it for what it is. One thing the CDC is good for is to give you heads-up on any current outbreaks of disease. If it's not required but recommended, your choice. As for myself, this will be my fifth trip into the African bush and I have taken no shots, some malaria profalactics IF NEEDED, save your money and a sore ass or shoulder and have a great time.

I would disagree with the fellow above. There is usually some pretty solid science behind the immunization recommendations. Not saying all the CDC's work is unbiased, but the immunization practices are pretty reasonable when you consider risk benefit analysis.

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
I would disagree with the fellow above. There is usually some pretty solid science behind the immunization recommendations. Not saying all the CDC's work is unbiased, but the immunization practices are pretty reasonable when you consider risk benefit analysis.

I did take into account the risks benefits, I am well educated on the immunization propoganda of this country also. Yes, the CDC is very much under the thumb of quote modern medicine and pharmacutical companies, I do give it credit for posting warnings of true outbreaks of disease worldwide.

"Big Medicine" That sounds like a Lawyer talking or or a couple of politicians I know.
My doctor consulted the CDC web site when I asked him if there were requirements. Where do you get your advice? I would rather take a few shots than to risk getting some disease, even if the risk is low. The CDC did state that there were outbreaks of polio in Namibia.

Looking at the CDC recommendations for southern Africa, with the exception of typhoid and Hep A and malaria prophylaxis, the remaining vaccinations are pretty much what's recommended for people not leaving the USA at all.

Good idea to have Hep a & B, tetanus updated if it's not already, typhoid, and measles/diptheria. Yellow fever used to be mandatory for international travel anywhere when I was flying. Don't know if it still is. Wouldn't hurt to get meningitis vaccine, also, depending on where you're going.

And I'd invest in a membership in Med Jet Assist. They saved Wendell Reich's ass.

Always consider the pay grade of those giving you advice...store clerks, well, I think you can see my point.

Get advice from the CDC, your doctor, an experienced booking agent, many of the people here on this site have been on a doxen or more trips and can give you some excellent suggestions.

The shots are CHEAP compared to getting some really nasty illness, been there, done that, HAVE NO DESIRE TO EVER REPEAT.

I went to Namibia and had shots for HEP A&B, tetnus, typhoid/dyptheria(sp?) and polio and took a anti-malaria drug and had evac-insurance. My doc also gave me a nice little "travel pharmacy". Overkill? Probably, then again, it took me 3 years to save for my trip and the preventive measures cost less than the trophy fee of ONE animal.

quote:

Originally posted by HunterMontana:
Always consider the pay grade of those giving you advice...store clerks, well, I think you can see my point.

Get advice from the CDC, your doctor, an experienced booking agent, many of the people here on this site have been on a doxen or more trips and can give you some excellent suggestions.

The shots are CHEAP compared to getting some really nasty illness, been there, done that, HAVE NO DESIRE TO EVER REPEAT.

I went to Namibia and had shots for HEP A&B, tetnus, typhoid/dyptheria(sp?) and polio and took a anti-malaria drug and had evac-insurance. My doc also gave me a nice little "travel pharmacy". Overkill? Probably, then again, it took me 3 years to save for my trip and the preventive measures cost less than the trophy fee of ONE animal.

Good advice. I worked in various African countries over a period of years. I got sick, really sick, a couple of times. Sanitary conditions are appalling by western standards, and most western doctors can't begin to diagnose an ususual illness acquired in Africa.

I always took a medical kit with sterile srynges, Percocet, a broad spectrum antibiotic, various bandages, Neosporin cream tweezers, alcohol wipes and the like. We used to keep a bottle of Wet Ones on the flight deck that we'd poured a half a bottle of alcohol into. If we had to shake hands with the village chief out in the bush, we'd always go back to the cockpit and wipe our hands down thoroughly. Prevented a lot of illnesses, I would imagine. And don't forget your insect repellent. Something with at least 30% DEET is recommended by various tropical medicine specialists I've spoken to over the years.

Here is an example that may or may not be relevant to your situation:

My wife and I are heading out to Cameroon. We each got an International Vaccination pamphlet (yellow in color) We will each have ours in our respective passports with copies elsewhere. In it the nurse logged in our shots (and stamped it) for Hep A&B, Yellow Fever, Meng. Standard shots updated including tetnus, polio and typhus (pills). There may have been more. If I shoot as much as I have been shot I will be a happy man.

I believe the only shot required for many African countries is Yellow Fever. However, I know folks who have contracted typhoid and Hep A in Africa and polio is becoming a problem in many countries. My whole family is going on a safari this summer. These are the shots/meds that our physician who has traveled/hunted extensively in Africa recommended. Yellow Fever (required); typhoid; Tetnus (update for me and the wife; kids already up to date); polio (update for me and the wife (kids already up to date), Hep A & B (kids have already been vaccinated as have I). Malarone pills; and take along a course of Cipro. My oldest son also got a Meningitis shot (primarily because it will be required for dorm living next year at college). Even folks living here in the US should probably get Tetnus updates and be vaccinated at least against Hep A and if you live in areas with substantial immigrant populations Hep B, which is 100 times more infectious than HIV and lives outside the body for days, so you can contract it "off the doorknob" so to speak.

http://www.passporthealthusa.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.locations


Largest non-.gov provider of travel vaccines in US.



From a travel health perspective, typical patient leaving the US for third world needs:

Hep A
Hep B
Typhoid
Tetanus if not up to date
polio booster depending on age and when original vaccine given
Antibiotic to self treat traveler's diarrhea
malaria drug if needed
bug dope and sun screen
permethrin for clothing
spare glasses
supply of regular medications
small FAK for boo-boos
suture/needle kit to give your third world doc to use on you to help prevent getting recycled stuff
health insurance that will reimburse you for out of country care
air evac insurance
http://www.iamat.org/ membership (free) so you can find a western trained, English speaking MD with a set fee schedule

Duckear is on target. We went to Baylor College of Medicine, Travel and Tropical medicine Clinic...that looks like what we got. Neither wife nor I had sore anything, or bad reactions, now have our "yellow cards" up to date, not cheap but compared to the preventable alternative the best hedge going. Can't think of a good reason not to do this. Bengaltiger, I am guessing you may find a similar clinic at LSU, Tulane etc.

Taking along spare glasses is kinda obvious, but it's also a good idea to have your optometrist give you your prescription and write it down in your yellow book in the place provided. Never can tell when you'll break your second pair, particularly on a 21 day hunt. Glasses are easily obtained in most large African cities.

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:
Taking along spare glasses is kinda obvious.....

You would be surprised......


But I do agree with having your optical prescription with you. Actually, a copy of all your prescriptions is a good idea.