MissZiegfeld

I searched for threads, but the last one I could find was from 2002.

Anyway, I am only visiting Istanbul. Do you think shots are needed since it's not as if I will be heading all over the country and handling livestock..

thanks!

ekscrunchy

Well, you should always have a valid tetanus shot but other than that, I took no shots for Turkey.

Christina

You should get medical advice from legitimate sources, not general message boards like this one. The CDC's website has information on what is recommended for every country.

nanabee

very good advice christina.
and it's good that Ms. Z is thinking about this. it is something i would not have thought of.

MissZiegfeld

Christina, I already looked at all of that and know what the "reccommended" shots are--their are no required shots--I'm just wondering the people here who have actually been to Istanbul have done before their trips..

Hana

I live in Canada and travelled on an organized tour to Turkey this past March. I checked with a travel clinic and per their recommendation I got a TwinRex vaccination for Hep A&B.

Weadles

Hi MissZiegfield,

We just returned from Istanbul and the south coast of Turkey. We consulted with a travel doctor in NYC, and although it's not required, he recommended that we get Typhoid and Hep A shots.

sandi

The CDC is where you should get your information. They may have recommendations or "must haves" Regardless, as an adult whose childhood inoculations are no longer effective, we should all be current, whether we travel or not.

Tetanus, absolutely and is good for 10/years. And, HepA which you can contract as easily at home as you would elsewhere in the world. This inoculation should also be good for 10/years. They are offering Twinex these days - a combo HepA&B; the B as blood borne and recommended for Peace Corp or NGO workers, those living in remote communities around the world or anyone foolish enough to not practice safe sex.

Always discuss with your own physician or a Tropical Diseases (Travel Clinic) specialist in conjunction with your personal medical history.

Safe and healthy travels.

girlonthego

I just recently got the Hep A shot. It is something you can get in your own hometown, therefore will be even better to have abroad. It is not requried,but it is probably good prevention. Like above poster said, there is a new shot that combines Hep A and B in one shot. Since all children in America today are vaccinated with Hep B at birth, it isn't a bad idea to go ahead and get the combo shot. I wish they had had the combo shot last year when I got Hep A.

dperry

I have lived overseas and travel in SE Asia every year. I would not travel anywhere in the world without being vaccinated for Hep A. You can contract it from food or water, even from infected restaurant employees.
Tetanus is another important shot, too.
Hep B is optional, unless you participate in risky practices. There have been many reported significant side effects to Hep B.
I work in healthcare and have this vaccine, and didn't experience negative side effects. However, I wouldn't take it otherwise unless I believed I was at risk.

WTnow

There was just another thread on vaccines. We just went all over Turkey and did not get any vaccines and I know many people who visited and did not get any vaccines. Some do like to get vaccines.

There are NONE that are required for Turkey. I think you do have to look at the risks as there ARE risks with vaccines.

Only you can decide what is best for you and your family but do get informed about the positive and negatives of either choice. I posted an interesting article in the vaccine thread.

"Since all children in America today are vaccinated with Hep B at birth"

This is not accurate at all as many states stopped this due to law suits as more babies were dying from the vaccination than the disease.

I personally know people ( adults and children) who have had dire consequences with vaccines and would never do them lightly or unnecessarily as they have killed and maimed many.

There are ways to do them that are safer than others, so I would also look into that info if you decide to get them.

I would say do your own research before just relying on your travel doctor who has his own financial means as part of his motivation.The CDC also gets lots of money from drug companies so take that into consideration as well.

I am a former nurse who have seen lots on many sides of this issue and it is not so black and white as some assume.

I got hepititus in my early 20's by eating raw clams on a vacation in a very upscale luxury rezort in Haiti. I had absolutely no problem with the disease and did not even know I had it until I was extremely yellow and it showed up on a modeling job of all things.

I am 55 now and have had no consequences with it what so ever, so even getting a disease is not necessarily so bad if you are as foolish as I was then. Do be careful of what you eat and drink anywhere and wash your hands, but it is really the terrain not the germ. If you are healthy that is one of the best ways to prevent diseases.


I don't think your odds of getting in Istanbul is any higher than at home, but only you can make this choice.

There is a reason why there are NO requirements. Now if you were living in the far eastern part in poverty conditions and having endless sex with strangers, that would be a different story perhaps.