Читать книгу (101 things to know when you go) ON SAFARI IN AFRICA - Patrick Brakspear - Страница 68

Most of the following should already have been covered in your child’s standard immunization program from a very early age. Please treat the following as a guide only.

Review the following vaccines with a physician at least 10 weeks before departure to ensure the proper scheduling of the various appropriate vaccines and dosages.d

Infants and children up to two years of age should have received 3 doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine (DTP Vaccine). One dose of DTP affords little protection; two doses provide some protection and 3 doses 70-80% protection. Parents should note that less than the 3 recommended doses of DTP will put a child at greater risk of infection. You may wish your child to receive the remaining doses of the vaccine at the recommended intervals while abroad.

The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR vaccine) should be administered to all children 15 months of age or older. For younger children going to areas of high risk, measles vaccine may be given earlier. Infants less than 6 months of age are protected by maternally derived antibodies.

Three doses of trivalent oral polio vaccine (OPV) are normally recommended for all infants and children by two years of age. Enhanced inactivated poliovirus vaccine (eIPV) is also available.

Hepatitis B vaccine is a routine vaccination for infants and children under 2 years of age. All infants and children should be vaccinated.

Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) vaccine: By age 2 years, four doses of vaccine are normally recommended for infants and children.

Immune globulin for protection against Hepatitis A is recommended for infants and children under 2 years of age travelling to areas of the world with intermediate or high rates of Hepatitis A. The new hepatitis A vaccines are not licensed for use with children less than 2 years of age.

For typhoid fever, breast-feeding is likely to protect infants. Careful preparation of formula and food from boiled or chlorinated water can help protect non-breastfed infants and children up to two years of age. The old typhoid fever vaccine is licensed for use in children as young as 6 months of age. The new ViCPS typhoid vaccine is recommended for children between 2 and 6 years of age travelling to areas where there is questionable sanitation.

For Meningococcal vaccine, effectiveness of the vaccine in children is dependent upon the child's age when the vaccine is administered. Protection may not be completely effective in children vaccinated between 3 months and 2 years, especially for vaccination before 3 months of age. The vaccine may be safely given to infants, but it may be less effective than in adults.

Yellow Fever vaccine should not be administered to any infant under 4 months of age and children 4 to 6 months old should be considered only under very unusual circumstances. Infants 6 to 9 months old can receive the vaccine if they cannot avoid travelling to areas of risk and when a high level of protection against mosquito bites is not possible. Infants 9 months or older should be vaccinated as required.

The risk of cholera to travellers of any age is so low that it is questionable whether the vaccination is of benefit. No data is available concerning the efficacy or side effects of cholera vaccine in children less than 6 months of age. Cholera vaccine is not recommended for children less than 6 months of age. Breast-feeding is protective against cholera; careful preparation of formula and food from safe water and foodstuffs should protect non-breastfed infants. If a child less than 6 months of age is to travel to areas requiring cholera immunization, a medical waiver should be obtained before travel. For older infants and children travelling to areas that require vaccination, a single dose of vaccine is sufficient to satisfy local requirements.

“Everything in Africa bites, but the safari bug is worst of all.” - Brian Jackman (travel writer).