Immunizations for China Travel
A Brief Overview
This is just a brief summary of information to get you started considerings which immunizations you and your family will need for your adoption trip. Every family will have slightly different requirments depending on when and where they will be traveling in China and health considerations of those traveling and staying home. As you locate other sources on the Net, please let us know so we can add them here.
- All routine vaccines such as Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR Vaccine); Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTP Vaccine), Polio, Influenza, and Pneumococcal should be up-to-date.
- Food-borne and water-borne diseases such as the diarrheal diseases and hepatitis are common.
- Measles, diphtheria and other such diseases are commonly reported.
- Influenza season is from November to April.
- The incidence of tuberculosis is common in China. (55 times the rate in the US)
Other Immunizations Considerations:
Cholera
Only partly effective, this is not usually necessary for healthy individuals making the short adoption trip.
However, the CDC recommends you consider having the vaccine if you have stomach ulcers, use
anti-acid therapy, or if you "will be living in less than sanitary conditions in areas of high cholera activity".
China is on the current list of cholera infected countries...
Hepatitis A
The CDC recommends immunization for all who will be traveling. There are two types of immunization:
active and passive. If you will be traveling to rural areas consider having the active immunization. The
active immunization is also recommended because you may be eating, drinking, or having contact with
young children where sanitary conditions are poor or uncertain. According to the CDC, "many cases of
travel-related hepatitis A occur in travelers to developing countries with 'standard' itineraries,
accommodations, and food consumption behaviors."
Hepatitis B
Strongly recommended for those traveling to China to adopt and for family members with special health
risks who remain at home. As most American children are now routinely immunized for Hepatitis B,
consider protecting all un-immunized children in the household. The CDC recommends the vaccination
should be considered for those going to China. Anyone having a reasonable risk of exposure to blood or
body fluids containing blood should be vaccinated.
Japanese encephalitis
Not usually recommended for urban short term travel. The transmission season is April to October in the
south. The southern risk area consists of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunan provinces and the southern parts
of Fujian, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Sichuan provinces. Consider the vaccination if you will be in
rural areas and if there is an epidemic outbreak.
Polio
Cases of polio still occur regularly. Immunization is recommended for all. Consider a one-time booster
dose if you have already completed the standard course of immunization. The CDC has guidelines for
vaccinating those who have not completed the course or are un-immunized.
Rabies
Not necessary for the usual adoption trip.
Typhoid
Usually not necessary unless you plan to eat anything and everything. However, the CDC "recommends
vaccination for those travelers who are going off the usual tourist itineraries, traveling to smaller cities and
rural areas..."
For more detailed information:
Travel Health Online - China
Includes a Disease Risk Summary as well as other general information about China.
http://www.tripprep.com/country/sp39.html
CDC Travel Information - East Asia
Includes information on risks, symptoms, and prevention of health concerns and a summary of their
recommendations.
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/eastasia.htm
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