Hepatitis And Other Diseases - Playa Del Carmen

Hepatitis A is transmitted through contaminated food and water, or through saliva, and thrives in conditions of poor hygiene. It can lay a victim low for several months with exhaustion, fever and diarrhoea, and can even cause liver damage. The Havrix vaccines have been shown to be extremely effective; though expensive (around US$150/£100 for a course of two shots), if you have a second shot within a year, protection lasts for ten years. Gamma globulin vaccines are no longer used as they are blood products and there are concerns with regard to the transmission of new variant CJD.

Symptoms by which you can recognize hepatitis include a yellowing of the whites of the eyes, general malaise, orange urine (though dehydration can also cause this) and light-coloured stools. If you think you have it, avoid alcohol, try to avoid passing it on, and get lots of rest. It's a good idea to go to a pathology lab (most towns have them) to get blood tests before seeing a doctor, who should then be consulted in order to monitor your recovery. More serious is hepatitis B , which is extremely contagious and passed on like AIDS through blood or sexual contact. Doctors advise hepatitis B vaccinations for people going on trips of over eight weeks and they are vital if you're planning to work in a medical setting or with children. Ideally three doses are given over six months but if time is short, there are other options which take one-two months with a booster given after a year.

Typhoid and cholera are spread in the same way as hepatitis A. Typhoid produces a persistent high fever with malaise, headaches and abdominal pains, followed by diarrhoea. Vaccination can be by injection or orally, but the oral alternative is less effective, more expensive and only lasts a year, as opposed to three for a shot in the arm. Cholera appears in epidemics rather than isolated cases - if it's about, you should know. It is characterized by sudden attacks of watery diarrhoea with severe cramps and debilitation. The vaccination is no longer given anywhere as it is ineffective.

Immunizations against mumps , measles , TB and rubella are a good idea for anyone who wasn't vaccinated as a child and hasn't had the diseases. You don't need a shot for yellow fever unless you're coming from a country where it's endemic (in which case you need to carry your vaccination certificate) and the polio vaccine is no longer necessary as the disease has been eradicated from the Americas.

Rabies exists in Mexico and the rabies vaccine is advised for anyone who will be more than 24 hours away from medical help. The best advice is simply to give dogs a wide berth, and not to play with animals at all, no matter how cuddly they may look. A bite, a scratch or even a lick from an infected animal could spread the disease - rabies is invariably fatal once symptoms appear so if you are bitten, assume the worst and get medical help as quickly as possible. While waiting, wash any such wound immediately but gently with soap or detergent and apply alcohol or iodine if possible. If you decide to get the vaccination, you'll need three jabs spread over a four-week period prior to travel.