lincasanova

I know so many friends who have travelled to Malayisa and have had NO vaccinations.

Is this risky if you are going for two weeks and staying in western hotels .. not in rural areas?

Seems official websites suggest hep A+B, and thyphoid.

Kristina

I say yes, especially if all you are going to get is HEP and Thyphoid vaccines. Those are good to have regardless, as HEP A and Thyphoid are food-born and can be contracted anywhere.
And yes, the risk is there, regardless of where you stay.

Kathie

Think about what you do and don't have control over. Hep A and Typhoid and food and water borne illnesses having to do with sanitation. Even in the US, Canada, and Western Europe there are outbreaks of Hep A. Hep B is blood borne, and is perhaps not as vital as Hep A if you are not going to have sex with locals or share needles or have a blood transfusion (though the last isn't something you plan for - what if you were in a bad accident?).

Staying in western hotels can't prevent Hep A and typhoid. The restaurants in the US, for instance that have had outbreaks of Hep A are "western."

While you cannot have total control over the sanitation of your food and water (even in western countries) you can choose to be vaccinated. The Hep A vaccine confers at least 20 years of protection, perhaps life-long. Typhoid oral vaccine is good for 5 years, the injection is good for 2 years.

Personally, I take seriously what the cdc recommends.

lincasanova

thank you.

dutyfree

Years ago my kids' doctor told me that if you travel alot or eat out at restaurants here in the US you should get your Hep A and B shots. He explained that this was due to poor cleanliness and some of the immigrants that are working at the restaurants that may have come in with various diseases like TB,etc.
Personally,I would ALWAYS get any vaccination for the area you are going.