Going to China - Immunizations

[cui ruide]

Hey folks, I'm going to China in January for a long stint (5 months at least), and I'm faced with some decisions about immunizations. Ideally, I'd like to drop down to Vietnam and maybe even Cambodia for a bit which complicates some things. In China, I'll primarily be in Bejing and Hangzhou (both urban), but no telling where else I might go... I'm definitely getting Hep A (already got B), tetanus booster, and typhoid taken care of. So a few questions...

1. Rabies - what do you guys think of getting the rabies booster (3 shots, expensive)? Think it's advisable? The theory is in rural areas access to an antidote wouldn't be possible in time.

2. Japanese Encephilitis(spelling?)

3. Malaria pills?

Any help from those that've travelled these regions would be greatly appreciated. It's just a real pain right now and really discouraging.

[Shadowdh]

1. Rabies - what do you guys think of getting the rabies booster (3 shots, expensive)? Think it's advisable? The theory is in rural areas access to an antidote wouldn't be possible in time.

I got the rabies shots althought it turned out I didnt need them, but I could get them on prescription here in the UK and at around £7 instead of about £120 I thought why not... but tbh they dont even really protect you but give you about 24 hours more to get to a hospital or other clinic.

2. Japanese Encephilitis(spelling?)

This is recommended if you are going rural for some time... as youre travelling it may prove worth it...

3. Malaria pills?

Depends on timing of your travel... and as youre going to be around in the warmer months and going through other countries it may pay to take them and use them... mostly for the south of China I believe but also handy for sth east asian nations...

[terran261]

A good place to look for this kind of information is:

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/eastasia.htm#country

The main thing the above list seems to be missing is typhoid. If you browse around the CDC website there is an incredible amount of information, for example, the effectiveness of the various vaccines, as well as the method of innoculation. The typhoid vaccine is quite easy, I opted for the shot, but you can take 4 pills, one every other day leading up to your trip.

[cdn_in_bj]

I personally wouldn't bother taking the malaria pills while you are in Beijing or Hangzhou. But you should have them with you in case you decide to venture to high-risk areas. Depending on the type of malaria pill, some of the potential side-effects don't look too pleasant.

[Rincewind]

Aside form the ones mentioned already, I got Polio and Diptheria (combined in one injection along with tetanus). A second injection covered Hep A and Typhoid.

[banjo67xxx]

From personal experience about rabies - it depends ...

Are you likely to be staying with families you have pet dogs? or are you likely to be looking after nephews and neices who want to stroke other peoples' cats and dogs? Do you yourself share pictures of your dog with other dog owners and cuddle their cute puppies (like my wife and I)?

However, in these circumstances, the chance of getting rabies is fairly low. A bitten animal is only infectious after the disease has made its way up the nervous system to the brain, and it'll start showing signs of madness (CDC says its only required to be monitored for 10 days) and die very painly fairly soon. So domestic pets are unlikely to be infectious.

Where you are more likely to encouter rabies is if you are attacked by a wild dog in a rural area. As rabid dogs will be mad, then this will be completely unprovoked, and you'll stand very little chance of avioding a bite if you're on foot.

If you've had a vaccination you don't need to rush to a modern hospital to get Human Rabies Immuno Globulin (HRIG), you just need to get some booster vaccinations. Furthermore, HRIG is very expensive, and many hospitals cannot afford to stock it. So, if you're going to be on foot in rural areas miles from a modern hospital that can afford the HRIG, then get the vaccinations.

PS: Vaccinations are only 71kuai each, and HRIG is 970kuai for the first shot and 480kuai for the second shot.

[pijiu]

Hi I was wondering about this too, I hope you don't mind me barging in on this thread but It would save me making another one.

I've been to china several times before, the last time I received any injections was around 3 summers ago but I honestly can't remember what I got but it was in both arms and I couldn't move them for a week lol. I went to Suzhou for around 3 months at a time.

This summer I am going to Hong Kong for the first time then I will be traveling by plane to Beijing to start summer school in BLCU and will be there for 6 weeks before returning to Hong Kong, If anyone could give me advice on what injections I should get and if perhaps the ones I received for going to Suzhou 3 years ago would need to be redone.

[Rincewind]

According to my vacinatin record book my doctor gave me, the renewal times are as follows.

Hepititis A - 1 year

Typhoid - 3 years

Diptheria, Tetanus and Polio - 10 years.

This may vary with the brand of vaccine but it sounds like you got the same two jags that I did. The Hep A and typhoid can be given as a combined injection so you probably only need the one jag this time round. Time to pick which arm you like least.

[pijiu]

What about immunization from Hepatitis B which can be passed on orally from sharing food?

[Rincewind]

I got hep B because I'm living here for many years. But my brother (a doctor) told me not to bother cause really Hep B is not that infectious unless you are doing something odd. Basically the method of transmission is similar to HIV. If you don't consider yourself at risk of HIV then your not at risk of Hep B. You're unlikely to get it form sharing a bowl of food using chop sticks. You could get it if you become intimate with someone, take drugs or get a unscreened blood transfusion.

Hepatitis B is given as a series of shots. There are various schedules for 3 to 4 shots depending on how much time you have and the brand you get given. The fastest is 3 doses in about a month (plus a booster after 1 year). There are also longer spreads that take about 4 to 6 months to complete the course.

You should weigh this info against how long you will stay for. I'm here for years, so I felt I might end up with a GF so better get the jags. If you're only staying for 6 weeks, then you must consider what sort of activities you will be doing in that time.

[Shadowdh]

hep a also lasts about 10 or so years after your last shot (the second or third I cant remember which even though I just had it...sigh thats what old age and studying too much does for ya...)

[terran261]

I'm pretty sure the Hep A lasts more than a year, but I'm not sure. Below is the information for the typhoid vaccine, it lasts either 2 or 5 years, depending on the type:

http://www2.ncid.cdc.gov/travel/yb/utils/ybGet.asp?section=dis&obj=typhoid.htm

The shot needs a booster every 2 years, while the pills need a booster every 5 years.

[Rincewind]

The performance for Hep A vary form brand to brand. I had a squint at http://emc.medicines.org.uk/ for the program for each brand of drug and all of them say a booster at the 6 to 12 months is recommended. Some of them say you can wait a bit longer before the booster but they all suggest a second injection. After you've had the booster, you seem to be setup for life more or less.