Hepatitis A & Malaria

riya

Hey Guys,

My husband & I are travelling to India later this year. We were wondering how important is it to take the Hepatitis A shots & the malaria pills. We'll be staying in hotels & drinking bottled water.
Also, another crucial criteria is that we're trying to conceive, will the Hepatitis shot & Malaria pills have a side effect. I asked our doctor but also just asking all you guys since you all seem to be so knowledgable about things on India, etc. In fact, I'm really impressed with this site & the discussions that occur.

Thanks for the info & help!

Riya

P.S.: Any opinions on the JW Marriott Mumbai & Taj Mahal Hotel in Delhi? Just curious if they are decent hotels cuz' we'll be staying there. Thanks again.

Midnite Toker

Hepatitis A can be caught from contact with contaminated plates, glasses, eating utensils, so drinking bottle water won't remove all of the risks.

As far as I know, the Havrix vaccine has few reported serious side effects and has been proven as effective. If you have the series of three shots you'll get a ten-year protection. I think that's a good investment - ten years of travel with very little risk of a debilitating liver disease. Is life worth living? It depends on the liver.

Malaria protection is a more difficult issue to answer clearly yes or no to. Personally, I don't take anti-malarials, putting my faith in protection by care and mosquito nets. I caught malaria twenty years back while taking the full recommended therapy (though not in India). You will, however, meet plenty of people who will tell you it's foolish to avoid prophylaxsis - you'll just have to weigh the risks yourself (antimalarial drugs currently recommended all have documented side-effects, many of them quite unpleasant) and decide.

I'm sorry, I have no idea about how these would affect fertility.

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turlapati

Hold off on the malaria pills if you are actively trying to concieve. Hep A is fine. We don't take anything for malaria oursleves nor do we give anything to our young kids (6,4,1) while in India. We just use the nets at night and wear Odomoss when out and about.
Good luck.

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susan turlapati

soulstation

With the hotels that u have mentioned - Taj and Marriot - they are by far the best - very expensive and very 5 starish... so u wont encounter musquitoes if these are the kind of places ur goona be staying most of ur time.

all the best!

mira4bai4

Hep A & B are essential and Qinghao for Malaria is the best option. Eat only where the food is cooked freshand the queus are long, locals don't like getting sick either. Hotel left overs (recycled) are the best way to get sick.