The risks to health whilst travelling will vary between individuals and many issues need to be taken into account, e.g. activities abroad, length of stay and general health of the traveller. It is recommended that you consult with your General Practitioner or Practice Nurse 6-8 weeks in advance of travel. They will assess your particular health risks before recommending vaccines and /or antimalarial tablets. This is also a good opportunity to discuss important travel health issues including safe food and water, accidents, sun exposure and insect bites. Many of the problems experienced by travellers cannot be prevented by vaccinations and other preventive measures need to be taken.
Measles occurs worldwide and is common in developing countries. The pre-travel consultation is a good opportunity to check that you are immune, either by previous immunisation or natural measles infection.
Ensure you are fully insured for medical emergencies including repatriation.
A worldwide list of clinics, run by members of the International Society of Travel Medicine is available on the ISTM website.
Confirm primary courses and boosters are up to date as recommended - including for example, vaccines required for occupational risk of exposure, lifestyle risks and underlying medical conditions.
Travel health advice relating to cholera.
Spread through consumption of contaminated water and food. More common during floods and after natural disasters, in areas with very poor sanitation and lack of clean drinking water. It would be unusual for travellers to contract cholera if they take basic precautions with food and water and maintain a good standard of hygiene.
Last Updated: 6th Aug, 2014
Travel health advice relating to diphtheria.
Spread person to person through respiratory droplets. Risk is higher if mixing with locals in poor, overcrowded living conditions.
Last Updated: 8th Sep, 2016
Travel health advice relating to hepatitis A.
Spread through consuming contaminated food and water or person to person through the faecal-oral route. Risk is higher where personal hygiene and sanitation are poor.
Last Updated: 6th Aug, 2014
Travel health advice relating to hepatitis B.
Spread through infected blood and blood products, contaminated needles and medical instruments and sexual intercourse. Risk is higher for those at occupational risk, long stays or frequent travel, children (exposed through cuts and scratches) and individuals who may need, or request, surgical procedures abroad.
Last Updated: 24th Sep, 2015
Travel health advice relating to Japanese encephalitis.
Spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. This mosquito breeds in rice paddies and mainly bites between dusk and dawn. Risk is higher for long stay travellers to rural areas, particularly if unable to avoid mosquito bites.
Last Updated: 9th Jun, 2015
Travel health advice relating to rabies.
Spread through the saliva of an infected animal, usually through a bite, scratch or lick on broken skin. Particularly dogs and related species, but also bats. Risk is higher for those going to remote areas (who may not be able to promptly access appropriate treatment in the event of a bite), long stays, those at higher risk of contact with animals and bats, and children. Even when pre-exposure vaccine has been received, urgent medical advice should be sought after any animal or bat bite.
Last Updated: 11th Aug, 2016
Travel health advice relating to tetanus.
Spread through contamination of cuts, burns and wounds with tetanus spores. Spores are found in soil worldwide. A total of 5 doses of tetanus vaccine are recommended for life in the UK. Boosters are usually recommended in a country or situation where the correct treatment of an injury may not be readily available.
Last Updated: 11th Aug, 2016
Travel health advice relating to typhoid.
Spread mainly through consumption of contaminated food and drink. Risk is higher where access to adequate sanitation and safe water is limited.
Last Updated: 11th Aug, 2016
Yellow fever vaccination certificate required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and for travellers having transited more than 12 hours through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.
Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease transmitted by mosquitoes. You cannot be vaccinated against malaria.
Altitude and Travel
This country has either areas with high altitude (2400m or more) or/and areas with very high altitude (3658m or more). Travellers who may go into areas of high altitude should take care to avoid ill effects of being at altitude including Acute Mountain Sickness, a potentially life-threatening condition.
Dengue Fever
A viral illness that is transmitted to humans by mosquito bites. The mosquito that spreads dengue bites during the day and is more common in urban areas. Symptoms include fever, headache, severe joint, bone and muscular pain - hence its other name 'breakbone fever'. There is no vaccine and prevention is through avoidance of mosquito bites.
Rabies in Nepal - published 10th Oct, 2016
Leishamaniasis in Nepal - published 4th Oct, 2016
Scrub Typhus in Nepal (Chitwan) - published 2nd Sep, 2016
Typhoid Fever in Nepal - published 23rd Jul, 2015
Earthquake (Second) in Nepal - published 12th May, 2015
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Contact for UK Nationals in Nepal - published 27th Apr, 2015
Rabies (Human) in Nepal (Update) - published 20th Apr, 2015
Rabies (Human) in Nepal - published 16th Apr, 2015
Rabies (Human) in Nepal - published 30th Mar, 2015
Cholera in Nepal (Kathmandu) - published 28th Jul, 2014
Cholera in Nepal (Update) - published 11th Jul, 2014
Cholera in Nepal (Update) - published 9th Jun, 2014
Typhoid Fever in Nepal - published 25th Jul, 2013
Rabies (Canine) in Nepal - published 10th Jan, 2012