Please help! Do I need Japanese Encephalitis vaccine?

Silvimfl

Hello again!

I have visited the local travel clinic this morning and I am even more confused than before. Should I get the JE vaccine or not?? The doctor didn’t seem to have and didn’t give me a lot of information either... I have been told there is a significant risk form adverse reactions to the vaccine and I am not even sure if we need it.


I will be teaching for 4 to 6 weeks in Kerala (Neyyar Dam) and then 2 more weeks traveling although not sure in which region yet. We are arriving in Kerala on April 20th and staying in India until the end of June.

Can anybody give me advise on the matter? If I decide to get it I should start with the first shot next Monday… I need to make up my mind very quickly!!

Thank you very much!!


Silvia

puppydogben

I believe you really only need JE if you are going to be spending time near pig farms or rice fields and even then I'm not sure how big the problem is in India but I think it's very very small. Certainly in the UK the JE shots are very expensive. All I can say is I have travelled through India many times without having it and have never had it or come across anyone who did.

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mercedes10

I got JapE but only because I was going on to South East Asia. The Doctor didn't say I needed it for India (and they said I needed pretty much everything else because I was working in the slums for a few months). I doubt you need it! That said, I didn't have any adverse reaction to mine - although they do make the potential side effects sounds particularly scary! If you're attending a private travel clinic be careful they're not just trying to make more money out of you! Ultimately it's your own decision - but I'd have thought the chances of contracting JapE in Kerala are minimal.

puppydogben

Yes! Sad but very true

abfab

I'm going to be spending a total of around 5 weeks in various parts of India, and Trailfinders Travel Clinic in London advised me not to have the Jap E. vaccine.

They said it was the one vaccine that they were most reluctant to give (unless its really necessary) because of the risks of the side effects, and that outside of monsoon time, the risks of catching the disease were minimal.

The disease itself is pretty darn scary though, but if your doctor sounds like he knows what he is talking about, then I personally would take his advice.

abfab

Sorry I missed the part about your doctor not being sure!

Unfortunately I don't think anyone on here (who isn't a doctor specializing in travel medicine) is really qualified to give you a definate YES or NO answer

Perhaps you could goto another clinic and ask them if you arn't sure of your first Doctors advice.

Silvimfl

Thanks ! that really helps, that was actually the problem with the doctor I saw. She didn’t seem to know a lot and she didnt know what to advice.

I think I will take your doctor’s advice and pass on this one. The disease IS really scary but what about the side effects of the vaccine? She couldn’t tell me what to expect…

I guess our best bet here is stay out of the Mosquitos’ way ;-)

Enjoy and thanks again to everyone!

federica

The doctors at the institute of tropical diseases (Tuebingen University) adviced to take the shot only if you are travelling mostly in rural areas for more than 4 weeks. And they explained me that this means an area with paddy fields, a special bird and pigs. Only in this combination the virus could develop - I am no doctor, so this is only second hand info!!!

The side effects can be quite severe (and lasting) and the vaccine has no permission in Germany, so I had to sign a special declaration that I am taking it at my own risk. I took it as I didn't have an idea in which areas I would be working (and it was for 1 year). But for short term periods I would really think about it twice as the risk of getting it is not that big especially if you avoid mossie bites...

bosquef

One of the great things about Kerala is that folks here are pretty concerned with public health. So if there is an outbreak of JE, you'll probably read about it in the Hindu, and you can choose to get out of the area you're in. Of course, if you're one of the first people to get it, then the story in the Hindu might be about you!
All things concerned, it seems the risk is pretty low. I haven't heard of any cases in the 6 months I've been here. Most of these bug born things seem to be worse during the wet season, which starts here in early June. I got the vaccine, because I was planning to be in remote areas for extended periods. The US doctor had to special order it, it was expensive, It hurt alot when he injected it into me, but I didn't get any other side effects. If I were to do it again, I probably wouldn't've bothered.