Immunizations for traveling

[wmu37]

Hi there!
I had a few questions again. I just had my physical exam and received the Hep A injection. I haven't had the 3 series Hep B yet and wondered if I could just do that at a later date. My fiancee who is coming with me has not had either and I wondered if anyone knew if either Hep shots were required to reside in Dominica? THanks!!

--Nicole

[MitchDC]

No, they aren't. The immunizations protect you from catching and spread the disease. However, the hepadna virus isn't all that common in Dominica, especially amoung the students that you will interact with. Additionally, you can get the hep vaccinations at the on-campus health clinic at a pretty good price if you decide that you want them.

MitchDC

Hi there!
I had a few questions again. I just had my physical exam and received the Hep A injection. I haven't had the 3 series Hep B yet and wondered if I could just do that at a later date. My fiancee who is coming with me has not had either and I wondered if anyone knew if either Hep shots were required to reside in Dominica? THanks!!

--Nicole

[jim]

i would recommend hep a vaccine, and you will be required to have the hep b series to start clinicals.

[Dru]

I would strongly recommend BOTH vaccines. Hep B is transmitted though body fluids, and anyone working in the medical profession may be subjected to an exposure. Hep B is a hardy little virus and can live in dried blood for up to 10 days. Some newer studies have shown that it lives on some surfaces for up to 30 days. Keep in mind that you wil be working on cadavers and patients, but transmission may be as innocent as a housekeeper cutting their hand and getting blood on the toilet handle, and you with your paper cut, reaching to flush.

Hep A is transmitted through fecal-oral contamination, and you are going to a third-world nation and will be eating foods prepared by the natives, who may not have the best handwashing skills. Hep A survives for a long time on foods and objects. Contaminations with this virus may be something as simple as having a drink made with ice from contaminated water or eating fresh fruit or veggies washed with tainted water. Considering these factors, plus all the rain and recent material surfacing in the soccer field, I think Hep A vaccination is a great idea.

Dru (the Ross mom and RN)

[oc23]

Considering these factors, plus all the rain and recent material surfacing in the soccer field, I think Hep A vaccination is a great idea.

Dru (the Ross mom and RN)

by the way, that whole broken sewage story is just a rumor, as was posted on this forum yesterday/2 days ago.

[Dru]

The last post I read was that it was material surfacing from an old septic tank drainage site...septic tanks have fecal contaminents...poo is poo.

[oc23]

from zedpol's post last night:

tsk tsk....starting rumors again. No, no sewage pipes are broken. I went and talked to the facilities engineer today and he said they went and checked everything. His best guess is that that since the area use to be the drain for the septic tanks (long time ago) the massive amounts of rain are letting us smell that stuff from years past. Lovely eh?

[Dru]

http://rps.uvi.edu/CES/septicassess.htm


Regardless of what is brewing in the soccer field, I still stand by my reasons that Hep A and Hep B immunizations are a smart idea.

[jim]

you will find if you do your peds in chicago that hep A is endemic on the south side, and they give all the kids the vaccine there. when you consider the side effect profile and the benefit of the vaccine, there is really no reason to nto get it. as i said before, hep B isrequired when you start clinicals, and the entire series must be complete, which takes 6 months to get, so start early!

[oc23]

http://rps.uvi.edu/CES/septicassess.htm


Regardless of what is brewing in the soccer field, I still stand by my reasons that Hep A and Hep B immunizations are a smart idea.

if you go back to my post, you would see that i never said these immunizations are a bad idea. you referred to the supposed septic material on the soccer field and i merely said it was just a rumor.