Travel Vaccinations South America

Travel Klinix can offer a wide range of Travel Vaccinations. If you are travelling to South America, you often need additional Travel Vaccinations to protect yourself from infections.

The Travel Vaccinations you need for South America may depend on:

  • Which areas you will be visiting
  • The time of the year of your trip
  • What kind of activities you will be participating in
  • Your age and general health
  • Your individual risk assessment

The table below is a general guide for travel vaccinations for South America ( see our price list)

VaccinationAll travellersMost travellersSome travellersRoute of transmissionVaccine coursePrice
MMRYesPerson to personCourse of twoPrice
Diphtheria, Tetanus, PolioYesPerson to person, contamination of open wounds, contaminated food and waterSingle dosePrice
Hepatitis AYesContaminated food and waterCourse of twoPrice
TyphoidYesContaminated food and waterSingle dosePrice
RabiesYesBites and scratches from animalsCourse of threePrice

Please be aware that information on this site does not constitute as medical advice and is merely for guidance. You should always seek specialist travel health advice before you travel.

Why Travel Klinix?

  • Consultant expertise: Travel Klinix is run by Dr Ravi Gowda, a consultant in infectious diseases and a specialist in tropical and travel medicine
  • Nursing excellence: Gemma Hicks is an experienced nursing sister having previously cared for patients with infections on a specialist ward
  • Unrivalled service: The only travel health clinic in the region with such expertise
  • Trust : You can therefore be reassured that you will receive the correct vaccinations for your trip and in a safe manner
  • Flexible appointments : We offer flexible same day, evening and weekend appointments
  • Accessible location with free parking
  • Professional and yet friendly service. See what our customers say:
  • Excellent personalised approach to travel ID protection. Highly recommended” – RK
  • “They are reassuring, calm, professional, friendly – I now feel ready to face any diseases the world cares to throw at me!” – SB

Who will be vaccinating you

Dr Gowda, Consultant in Infectious Diseases

Dr Gowda, Consultant in Infectious Diseases

Gemma Hicks, RGN, Nursing sister

Gemma Hicks, RGN, Nursing sister

Dr Gowda’s top tip for South America

You are at risk of Zika virus infection in South America. Please seek expert travel health advice, particularly if you are See below.

Malaria

Risk of malaria in South America

There is a low risk of malaria in  some parts of South America. For specialist travel health advice call Travel Klinix

Recommended malaria tablets for South America

It is important you are aware of the risk of malaria and avoid mosquitoes bites when travelling in South America. Depending on the nature and duration of your journey, you may still require malaria tablets. Please ask us for advice.

What is malaria?

Mosquitoes spread malaria by biting mainly from dusk till dawn. It is a serious and potentially life threatening infection. You are at risk of malaria in most of the tropical regions of the world but most cases occur in Sub Saharan Africa. In 2015 there were 212 million malaria cases with an estimated 429,000 deaths. 90% of these cases  and 92% of malaria deaths are in Africa.

Malaria symptoms

This can be anything but the most common malaria symptoms are fever, chills, headache and overwhelming body and muscle ache. If you experience any of these symptoms within 3 months of a travelling to a country where malaria occurs then you should contact your doctor urgently; diagnosis is quick and easy with a simple blood test. If you are diagnosed and treated promptly you should make a full recovery. If, however, you delay seeking help, malaria can be difficult to treat and you may become seriously ill.

Malaria prevention

You can prevent malaria in four, easy steps. The A, B, C, D of malaria prevention is easy to remember:

Awareness of the risk

Bite prevention (particularly at night time by use of repellent or nets)

Chemoprophylaxis (use of appropriate malaria prevention tablets)

Diagnosis (prompt diagnosis and treatment)

Resources

For more details on malaria see Advisory Committee on Malaria Prevention (ACMP) Guidelines

Yellow Fever                                   

Yellow fever risk and  vaccine certificate requirements for South America

There have been recent outbreaks of yellow fever in South America. Please contact us for advice

Vaccine certificate requirements for South America

Under International Health Regulations,  you may require a yellow fever vaccine certificate for some parts of South America

For more information, take a look at the World Health Organisation list of countries with risk of yellow fever

Additional travel health advice and risks for South America

You may be at risk of Dengue fever and other insect borne  diseases such as leishmaniasis and Zika virus infection. There is a moderate risk of Zika virus  infection in South America so if you are pregnant you should consider postponing non-essential travel until after pregnancy. By avoiding insect bites, you can reduce the risk of these diseases. Schistosomiasis, a parasite breeding in snails and  freshwater, is found also in South America.

You may experience altitude illness at elevations above 2500 metres. This can include cities such as Cuzco ( 3399 metres) in Peru.

 

South America General information

  • South America is surrounded by the Caribbean, Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It is a continent of the superlatives. It has the largest rainforests, tallest waterfall (Angel Falls, Colombia), as well as the highest mountain range. As you travel across the continent you can experience the contrasting landscape of deserts (Atacama desert), the beaches of Brazil, remnants of ancient civilisations such as Machu Piccu in Peru and big, overwhelming cities  such as Bogota and Sao Paulo. Whatever you do, it is important that you travel safely and so we recommend you contact us for advice on vaccines.
  • For advice on safety and security concerns please check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website for South American countries