Carnegie Mellon

Travel and Health: Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How can I find out which vaccinations I should obtain to ensure that I am appropriately protected from disease?

A: All travelers should make sure that their routine immunizations are up-to-date. These include tetanus, diphtheria, polio, measles, mumps and rubella.

Other vaccinations are travel destination specific. Some countries require proof of certain vaccinations prior to entry. Recommended vaccinations are based on the prevalence of a particular disease in a country but are not required for entry. Since some immunization schedules can take up to 8 weeks to 6 months to complete, look into the immunizations you will need as soon as you decide to travel abroad.

You can obtain up-to-date information on which vaccines are recommended or required for the country that you are traveling to on the web at www.cdc.gov/travel or www.who.org.

The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) offers travel advice and immunizations at their travel clinic located on Forbes Avenue in Oakland. You can obtain information about the County’s travel services online at www.achd.net/progstartfolder/infectstart.html.

Q: Where can I receive vaccinations for yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and typhoid?

A: The ACHD can provide all of these vaccinations. Call 412-578-8063 for more information.

Q: Which vaccines and services are offered by Student Health Services?

A: If you are a student, visiting scholar or researcher, you can receive the following vaccinations at the Student Health Service, located in Morewood Gardens E144:

Adacel (tetanus, diphtheria and pertusis) $45
Hepatitis A (2 doses at one month and 6 months) $25/each
Hepatitis B (3 doses over 6 months) $35/each
MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) $42

Student Health also provides prescriptions for malaria prophylaxis, tuberculin skin testing ($12) and travel abroad physicals (by appointment only). Call 412-268-2157 x2 or write to health@andrew.cmu.edu for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Q: What other precautions, in addition to appropriate immunization, will protect me from diseases?

A: Consider the following for each country that you plan to visit:

Food and water precautions
Consumption of contaminated food and water is one of the most common ways that travelers develop illness such as typhoid, hepatitis A, polio, traveler’s diarrhea and cholera. Ask about water purification systems in the area you are visiting. Food should be either well cooked or washed and peeled.

Insects
Mosquitoes can carry malaria, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever. Check for the prevalence of these diseases in the areas where you plan to travel. If malaria is a problem in the region you should secure a prescription for a drug to protect you from contracting the disease. You usually begin taking the medication one week prior to travel. In addition, wear protective clothing and insect repellant.

Contaminated Soil
You should receive a booster of tetanus vaccine every 10 years to protect you from this bacteria that is found in the soil. In addition, you should wear shoes and avoid contact with soil contaminated with animal feces or bird droppings.

The CDC and WHO offer detailed health and safety information for travelers online: www.cdc.gov/travel and www.who.org