Vaccinations for ports

I'd be interested if other cruisers obtain vaccinations for Ports of call. We are taking the Panama Canal Cruise this coming November and the India/Shri Lanka in January 2017. Vaccinations can be much more toxic than many people know. Certainly, a potential side effect of the Yellow Fever vaccination is severe, long-standing Psychosis. As someone who has just retired from a career in Mental Health, I can say that I am inclined not to risk my sanity. Rabies is also a pretty dodgy Vaccine and it is recommended for India and Shri Lanka (amongst others). Yellow Fever (amongst others) for South America. I tend to take the view that its worth the risk of not having them if I won't be travelling cross country, eating street food etc, but I know there is a risk (mosquitos, stray dogs, monkeys etc).

Talk a qualified health professional, if you are concerned. We never get anything special.

Sorry, but I can't locate anywhere that: a potential side effect of the Yellow Fever vaccination is severe, long-standing Psychosis.

You really need to talk to health professionals about your future destinations, what vaccinations are recommended and the possible side effects you could have.

We have taken many worldwide tours and always discuss what precautions we definately need to take, those we may decide to take based on itinerary in a country and general shots which should be kept updated.

Yes, there can be side effects from any medication but we are talking about serious life-threatening illnesses.

Much as I see cruise critic as a valuable source of information I think your question needs to be discussed with your GP.

Medically, I can't get a yellow fever shot....so I stay away from the yellow fever belt countries. On the other hand, I've traveled to india without any concern about getting a rabies shot. I do take malarone in malaria regions...and of course I have all the standard shots up to date: polio, tetanus, pertussis, and so on. You also have to consider hepatitis shots....probably a good idea depending on where you are travelling.

The biggest risk I face on the yellow fever side, other than medical, is that if I pass through a yellow fever country without the shot or the ship stops in a yellow fever country, I may find that I'm not admitted to my final destination....that can be a BIG problem.

Many of the precautionary shots really apply if you are going outside the major cities. It's definitely a "talk to a professional" topic.

Sorry, but I can't locate anywhere that: a potential side effect of the Yellow Fever vaccination is severe, long-standing Psychosis.

Much as I see cruise critic as a valuable source of information I think your question needs to be discussed with your GP.

We did a Panama Canal cruise last year and coming from a medical family I figured its better to get the injections especially as they last for 10 years +

There lots of bits and bobs abotu injections causing this and that but at the end of the day most of these are isolated studies and often swamped by the research in favour so its a no brainer.

We got almost all our injections free on the NHS -Hepatyrix, MMR, Typhoid etc.We had to buy our yellow fever vaccines for £80 each and Malaria tablets for £60 for a 15 day trip to be taken before and after also.Our tours and areas were not really a risk for rabies so we declined that and it is often expensive due to needing 2/3 injections. Your local clinic will be ale to all the stuff you require but you may need to source your yellow fever injection somewhere else and make sure your yellow fever certificate is correct and safe as its one per injection with no spares.

We also bought ant mosquito wrist bands, deet cream (better than the spray) and spray for our clothing (cannot remember the name).We came back bite free and I am usually a bug favourite.

It is obviously on your mind...get the injection.

Medically, I can't get a yellow fever shot....so I stay away from the yellow fever belt countries. On the other hand, I've traveled to india without any concern about getting a rabies shot. I do take malarone in malaria regions...and of course I have all the standard shots up to date: polio, tetanus, pertussis, and so on. You also have to consider hepatitis shots....probably a good idea depending on where you are travelling.

 

The biggest risk I face on the yellow fever side, other than medical, is that if I pass through a yellow fever country without the shot or the ship stops in a yellow fever country, I may find that I'm not admitted to my final destination....that can be a BIG problem.

 

Many of the precautionary shots really apply if you are going outside the major cities. It's definitely a "talk to a professional" topic.

I think they are supposed to check your vaccination certificates at embarkation, and if you do not have the required ones, they can deny you boarding.

Our doctor has advised both my DH and I not to get the Yellow Fever vaccination due to serious complications that can occur in some people. We have decided not to take this risk.

We are doing the Panama Canal in 2017 - I enquired about me getting a Yellow Fever vaccine (DH has had it for when he lived in China) and I was told that unless we plan to go way out to the wilds it was not necessary and that none of the following ports would deny us entry.

Vaccinations can be much more toxic than many people know. Certainly, a potential side effect of the Yellow Fever vaccination is severe, long-standing Psychosis. .

A potential effect of NOT taking the Yellow Fever vaccination is catching Yellow Fever. A potential effect of catching Yellow Fever is a 3% or greater chance of death -

"Yellow fever begins after an incubation period of three to six days.[8] Most cases only cause a mild infection with fever, headache, chills, back pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle pain, nausea, and vomiting.[9] In these cases, the infection lasts only three to four days.

In 15 percent of cases, however, people enter a second, toxic phase of the disease with recurring fever, this time accompanied by jaundice due to liver damage, as well as abdominal pain. Bleeding in the mouth, the eyes, and the gastrointestinal tract will cause vomit containing blood, hence the Spanish name for yellow fever, vomito negro ("black vomit").[10] The toxic phase is fatal in about 20% of cases, making the overall fatality rate for the disease 3%.[11] In severe epidemics, the mortality may exceed 50%.[12]

Surviving the infection provides lifelong immunity,[13] and normally there is no permanent organ damage.[14]"

The chance of getting a psychosis is considerably less at 0.0005% based on this reference -

"Nervous system side effects have very rarely included neurotropic disease (YEL-AND, post-vaccinal encephalitis) which has been fatal in rare instances. Symptoms have included diaphoresis, rigors, fever, malaise, headache, confusion, expressive aphasia, arm numbness, loss of fine motor control, severe dysarthria, loss of consciousness, elevated WBCs and protein in CSF, and/or leukocytosis. Immunosuppression and age < 9 months are known risk factors. The estimated incidence for all ages is 5.3 cases per million vaccinees.[R"

This means that the chance of dying from not taking the shot is about 6000 times greater than the chance of getting a psychosis from taking the shot, Also, the 3% probability of death from no shots is significantly more serious to the patient long term than the 0.0005% of the psychosis alternative. Based on this I will take the shots and also the risk of getting a psychosis. When you make replies based on scientific data, it is always useful to cite your references.

DON

As I said, I'm not asking for advice, just wondering what others have decided or done in the past. Thanks to those sharing that.

The cruise line doesn't require you get any vaccinations. Neither does Panama on a cruise. Don't know about Sri Lanka....no desire to go there!!!

The cruise line doesn't require you get any vaccinations. Neither does Panama on a cruise. Don't know about Sri Lanka....no desire to go there!!!

Are you considering any other port the cruise might stop at? I am assuming not....

That being said, without knowing what ports/countries the OP is referring to, we can't comment.

We have been through the Canal 3 times, no Yellow Fever shot required. One South American cruise, no Yellow fever shot.

This page from CDC is very interesting and informative. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapter-3-infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/yellow-fever One point it makes is that over the age of 60, the risk of adverse effects from the vaccine is 8.3 in 100,000. Compare this to 1 in 100,000 for breast cancer from HRT. A risk that makes many, many women avoid HRT and for woman to be warned about it by doctors and patient information leaflets. Just a thought!

Also, risk in South America is considerably lower than that in Sub Saharan Africa and, cases in South America are usually in young men who work outside in forested areas.

Again, I am not asking for advice, more a reflection on the issues and an exchange of views. I think its important to recognise that people are individual in their calculation of risk and have varying levels of trust in pharmaceutical companies. Remember, there are a considerable numbers of adverse effects from drugs and vaccines that are never recorded as such. This is either because the treating doctor does not know the drug or vaccine has been taken (usually when the patient is so ill, they can't give an account, or they have died) or, for varies reasons, the treating doctor does not complete and send off the correct form for it to be recorded as an adverse effect (common). I believe we should respect each others right to make different decisions or think situations through differently. There is no one right answer on most things.

In the UK, doctors official advice has to be that of the Department of Health. I assume American doctors are in a similar spot and must concern themselve with the risk of being sued. If pressed, they may be prepared to express other views. Also, doctors often make different decisions for themselves and their loved ones, than they would advise their patients to take!

I'm a believer in reviewing the evidence myself (I'm a Psychologist, I recognise that may not be so straightforward for everyone) and, based upon that evidence, which takes account of the balance of probabilities, reach my own decision. Remember the percentage of risk shown for any of these things does not take account of the variations within the population. Therefore, the risk is not the same for everyone. The risk of contracting Yellow Fever may be much lower than the headline risk, the risk of adverse effects from the vaccine much higher than the headline risk and vice versa.

We are cruising the PC in 3 weeks. No vaccinations. Yellow Fever in the cities and the Canal Zone has been pretty much eradicated. I don't plan to travel into the jungle wilderness.

We've been to the Panama Cannel twice and did excursions along the way, in the lake, to Panama City and Cartagena with no extra shots. Going again next month. No plans for any extra's this time either.

We've been on 5 Full Canal transits and were never required to have Yellow Fever shots.