Hep A vaccine

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Is a Hepatitis A vaccine required before taking a cruise?

A visit to my DR today resulted in a recommendation to have the vaccine before cruising because cruise ships carry both passengers and crew of many nationalities from all points of the globe and therefore that creates a risk of the infection via the food we eat on board.

 

Like to hear anyone elses views on this subject.

 

Jillybean:)

[Fogfog]

Is a Hepatitis A vaccine required before taking a cruise?

A visit to my DR today resulted in a recommendation to have the vaccine before cruising because cruise ships carry both passengers and crew of many nationalities from all points of the globe and therefore that creates a risk of the infection via the food we eat on board.

 

Like to hear anyone elses views on this subject.

 

Jillybean:)

 

 

WE all got Hep A vaccine several years ago--when we started alot of international travle with the kids

 

mostly because its often contracted through food ---

 

I woud say go for it--its not a big deal --we all have

normal childhood vaccines--DH and I had ALL of them again in '99 before going to Eurasia and North Africa

MMR, DPT, polio etc...(small pox is no longer available...thats the one that left a small scar on your upper arm/shoulder--assumming you are old enough to have had it--my kids couldn't get it--)

Hep A

Hep B

Typhoid--becasue of our travels

 

We are going to have Yellow Fever vaccine this week (good for 10 years), and probably updated the typhoid which expires after 5 years

 

Mostly because we have other travel dreams...and our upcoming cruise will take us to places where YF is endemic (as is dengue but there is no vaccine for that)

 

Check the CDC web site etc and see what they rec for your current travels and future travels

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

My DH is thinking that the crew would probably already be vaccinated for Hep. A, prior to their employment on any ship anyway.

[katiebug the travel girl]

Hep A is now a generally recommended vaccination for everyone especially if you travel. Check out the CDC recommendations. It is even required as a school age vaccination for kids entering kindergarten. If your doctor suggests it I would consider it. You can contract Hepatits A right here in your own yard.

[martodd]

Got it for all three of my children before our Med. cruise last summer. The dr. said it would be a good idea. Better to be safe than sorry.

[larronry]

I know my son has it as it was part of the vaccine schedule. I've never gotten though. We parents make sure our kids get everything and never get it for ourselves. :p

[jerseygirl3]

I'm a nurse in a pediatric practice, and we immunize all our kids (over the age of 1) for Hep A. It's not a bad idea for everyone to get it. And remember, too, flu season will soon be upon us. Make sure to get your annual flu vaccine!

[larronry]

I'm a nurse in a pediatric practice, and we immunize all our kids (over the age of 1) for Hep A. It's not a bad idea for everyone to get it. And remember, too, flu season will soon be upon us. Make sure to get your annual flu vaccine!

That's one thing I did take care of for myself. Besides my son being asthmatic I can't take care of my son if I have the flu so I got my flu vaccine and then he got his vaccine a week later. Had to wait till he was off one of his meds for a week first (poor thing was having one of his asthmatic coughs after having a cold). :( We Floridians are known for dropping like flies as soon as the "season" (northerners come down not just the flu season) hits.

[beauxdammit]

My BW, a practicing Nurse Practitioner, says this sounds like a pretty smart idea. I guess I will have to go along with it and get a shot before we cruise next week. All this after 18 previous cruises. Oh Well!!

[Senga]

are a going concern here in Toronto now and our family physician recommended we visit one. We went today and were advised to get Typhoid and HepA vaccinations for our upcoming French Polynesia / New Zealand cruise. We're going to Panama in March but the area we are going to is not in the malaria region so we didn't have to get that one. The typhoid shot protects you for 3 years and, after a booster in 6 months, the HepA is good for 10 years. Better safe than sorry.

[Rob & Beckys mom]

are a going concern here in Toronto now and our family physician recommended we visit one. We went today and were advised to get Typhoid and HepA vaccinations for our upcoming French Polynesia / New Zealand cruise. We're going to Panama in March but the area we are going to is not in the malaria region so we didn't have to get that one. The typhoid shot protects you for 3 years and, after a booster in 6 months, the HepA is good for 10 years. Better safe than sorry.

 

 

Just went in for a yellow fever shot for an upcoming Brazil cruise & we also got the Hep a & b. Had the first shot, going for the second next month & follow up with the final one in 6 months. We were told these (hep a & b) are good for life. Not an enexpensive trip to the travel doc:rolleyes:

 

Jan

[Pontius Navigator]

Yes, ask the experts:

 

http://www.cdc.gov/

 

I took a UK team to India for 4 weeks. We were shot and boosted to the eyeballs and rattled with pills. We met a US team who were also there for 4 weeks. Contrary to our expectations they had had no prophalactics and they were led by a US Indian Doctor. :(

[Jim_Iain]

I went through the complete series of shots before a trip about 10 years ago, only to find out from my doctor the next year that I was a "hepatitis virgin". Evidently I didn't build an immunity to it. He asked if I wanted to try again and I declined.

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

I went through the complete series of shots before a trip about 10 years ago, only to find out from my doctor the next year that I was a "hepatitis virgin". Evidently I didn't build an immunity to it. He asked if I wanted to try again and I declined.

 

 

Did your Doctor say that was unusual?

 

Jillybean:)

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Thanks everyone for all the interesting points of view, you swung it for me and I've just been and had my vaccination. DH will get his tomorrow.

 

Also my Doctor is happy that we have had the vaccination. She said, she sees the other side where she has to treat patients who return from their vacation very ill suffering from some nasty disease which could have been prevented with a simple vaccination.

 

Jillybean:)

[Tess111]

We leave in 4 weeks for a 3.5 week vacation in South America. We are going to Buenos Aires for a week, then to Iguassu Falls for 2 nights, then 13 night cruise, and a few days when we dock in Santiago. I have had typhoid, diptheria, tetanus, and 1st twinrex (hep A&B) a month ago. Today, I got vaccinated for flu and pneumenococal. On Monday, I get my second twinrex, and next Saturday we get yellow fever vaccination. We were told that malaria pills aren't necessary if we stay in the tourist area of Iguassu, which we are. Then, around 12 or 13, I will start the Dukoral treatments. Lots of prep for this trip, but I would rather be safe than sorry. I say that now, even as my arm starts to hurt. LOL.

[Pontius Navigator]

Tess,

 

Don't forget Malaria.

 

http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/malaria.htm