Vaccines for Northern India

Hello,

I am planning a 7 week trip around northern India starting in Delhi (in June) and travelling through Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh.

Does anyone have any advice about which vaccines are necessary?

I have had Polio, Typhoid, tetanus and basically everything else that is free on the NHS.

However, the nurse also said that Japanese encephalitis, rabies and Hepatitis B were recommended but that there would be a charge of £100 pounds each (which is more than I can afford really).

Has anyone else been to this area at a similar time? Anyone have any ideas?

Many thanks in advance!

Not what you want to hear but my advice is take the advice of the nurse! Or make the decision yourself! TT is great for many things but whether or not to get shots is NOT one of them. The problem is no matter how dangerous a place is some people will ALWAYS get all of the shots and pills while others will NEVER get the recommended shots and pills, go figure!

Thanks for that - I realise it would be stupid to make a decision based entirely on what people on a forum say.

However, the nurse had said it was "my decision" - obviously I cant make an informed decision because I know nothing about it.

I do take your point that it is probably not worth the risk - anyone got a spare £300? :-)

Many thanks!

What about having the jabs done in India?

according to my guidebook (Rough Guide):

meningitis, typhoid, and hepatitis A are recommended wholeheartedly, as well as an update of the customary western jabs like tetanus and any others that require periodic updates.

hepatitis B is not particularly reccomended unless you're planning on working in a medical environment or similar situation where you'd be likely to encounter it (it's transmitted through blood or sexual contact, like HIV). i'm not sure, but i think customary vaccination for this variety of Hepatitis is becoming more common in the US (i know i was required by schools to be immunized for one, but i can't remember which one). for what that's worth.

rabies vaccines are expensive, do not prevent you actually catching the disease, only shorten the course of treatment, and only last a few months. i don't think they're reccommended unless you're going there to work with animals that are likely to be infected. the best way to avoid getting rabies is to give animals a wide berth, no matter how cute they might be. which, ok, is probably harder in a country overrun by crazy monkeys, but from what i've heard i still wouldn't get a rabies vaccine unless you REALLY think contact would be unavoidable.

my guidebook says nothing about japanese encephalitis, but i've heard (from where, i forget) that vaccines generally aren't necessary unless you're going to be spending an extended amount of time around rice paddies, i.e. if you're going over as an agricultural worker.

i'll also add the same disclaimer that others have brought up -- i'm not a doctor and as such can't provide comprehensive medical advice. this is just parrotings from guidebooks and "what i've heard". do your research and decide for yourself.

Don't bother with the Rabies shots. I got bitten in India and went to a local government hospital, I went to the chemist, bought the vaccine, paid 20 ruppees to get the shot given to me, and repeated it until my treatment was up. I moved around but always managed to find the same vaccine everywhere I went. It only cost 300rupees PER shot and you need 3-5 depending on severity of bite. So its cheaper to wait. You 99% of the time won't need it anyway. I have spent 6 years in India and only been bitten ONCE!

Ralphy:
I would recommend Hep B........what happens if you get hurt and need a blood transfusion?
Don't think you'll get hurt? Probably not.....but there's a small chance and Hep B is not something to save money on.

But I'm from Canada and Hep B comes cheap......so it's a no brainer.....

So some research and weigh the risks.....better to travel for another day and a second trip rather than just one cheap trip.

good luck

My 2cents worth:

1) (from "Rough Guide") rabies vaccines are expensive, do not prevent you actually catching the disease, only shorten the course of treatment, and only last a few months.

Not quite right. The vaccine will last between 1-3 years. Boosters (1 shot) are recommended after 12 months. They do reduce the course from 5 shots down to 2 but if you are stuck in the middle of nowhere for whatever reason and there's no transport immediately available, then it's nice to know that you've had the shots that buy you time.

If you don't want /can't afford to get the shots, be vigilant. Sure, you'll hear reports about people considering this a waste of money but, the are a great many people (tourists and locals) who do get bitten and end up dying.

2) Once you've had the Hep A/B treatment (3 shots over 3 months), you are covered for life. Therefore, I'd recommend that you have the shots (get them in India if required). Bear in mind that they must be taken at required intervals to be effective.

3) Jap B Encephalitis is primarily found around piggeries and rice paddies and, as #4 points out, mostly for agricultural workers and those who are staying in or around those areas for protracted periods of time.

At the end of the day, it's totally your call.

Cheers
Zoltan