Medical Requirements

M

Mar

Guest
Hello, and Happy New Year!!

We are planning a trip to DR in February, and would like to know what vacinations, if any are required for visitors from Canada.

:)
 
E

ECH,M.D.

Guest
I tried to respond privately to your e=mail address and received a reply that "not a valid address" Answer to your question however is NO vaccination requirements.

ECH
 
M

Me

Guest
Some of that depends on where you are going to go. The tourist areas do not require anything, but some areas where people go for ministry are such that it is a good idea to make sure you are up on your tetanus booster, and hepatitis. Some recommend malaria preventatives such as quinine. Use normal cautions about hygiene, and be careful about food and water sources, as in any unfamiliar area.
 
E

ECH,M.D.

Guest
A small addendum in response to the above. Travelers should be advised that NO Chemoprophylaxis regimen is completely effective and that prompt medical evaluation should be sought for all febrile illnesses.

IN REGARD TO THE RECOMMENDATION OF QUININE let me only state this. Blackwater fever is a rare complication of malaria characterized by intravascular hemolysis and hemoglobinuria. It occurs, perhaps exclusively, in chronic falciparum malaria, ESPECIALLY IN PATIENTS TREATED WITH QUININE. Also, QUININE and its synthetic substitutes produce a permanent loss of hearing.

Medication can create it's own problems and can be dangerous when taken without the advice of a physician. In the DR and many other countries, medications ( and dangerous medications) can be obtained over the counter with out a prescription or advice of a physician. Just did not want anyone running out and getting a "little" quinine just in case.
 
J

J

Guest
I just spoke to the Texas State Health Dept in Austin, Texas last week. I spoke to the man who is over the epidemiology and travel dept (and he has been for 20 + years). He said the Dept of Health and the CDC are usually very conservative. However, there have been reports in the past few months of European travelers becoming infected with Malaria. These people were staying at resorts also, not even close to the Haiti border. So now they are suggesting that you take Chloroquine (Aralen). This is a prescription you will have to get from your medical doctor. You need to start taking it one week before you go. They also say you need to get an updated Tetanus shot and a Hepatitis A shot. We are going to the DR and got our shots today!