Taking shots...

.... but not those kind of shots! My trip to Ghana is requiring a lot more preparation than my previous travels did. I spent yesterday afternoon at a travel clinic getting immunization shots and medications required to safely visit Ghana.  I have to admit I was a little bit excited to get the yellow fever vaccination and the accompanying certificate that I have to keep in my passport - I feel like a real traveler now!  Yellow fever is a nasty virus found in parts of Africa and South America that is spread through mosquito bites and there is no cure for it.  Many countries, including Ghana, require yellow fever vaccination to enter the country.  The vaccination has to be given by approved provider and you get a nifty vaccination certificate to carry with you as proof.

In addition to the yellow fever vaccine, I also got a shot for Hepatitis A and an oral vaccine for typhoid.  Apparently these are vaccines I should have already had based on my previous travels but never got. I guess I got lucky because I have never had any travel related health problems. I decided it was best not to risk it for this trip as the diseases are endemic in Ghana and a much higher risk than other places I've visited.

Hepatitis A is a virus spread fecal-orally, often through contaminated food or water. It affects the liver, but is not a chronic disease as the body's immune system will fight it off (it just makes you feel yucky as it takes its course - usually two to six weeks).  It is found throughout the developing world (Central/South America, Africa, Asia), and in Eastern Europe.  Most people living in those countries are exposed to it at an early age and develop immunity to it.

Typhoid is a bacterial infection also spread fecal-orally through contaminated food and water. It is generally found in the same regions that Hepatitis A is.  It causes high fever, diarrhea and stomach problems.  It is treated with antibiotics, but if left untreated, it usually takes about a month to run its course. The vaccination consists of four pills that I take every other day.  It doesn't provide complete immunity so the doctor also prescribed some antibiotics to take with me in case I have any severe stomach problems while I'm there.

Lastly, I was prescribed malaria pills.  This is the first country I have been to where Malaria is endemic.   Malaria is a  parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes.  There are various strains of the disease and Ghana has one of the worst: Plasmodium falciparum.  There is not yet a vaccine to prevent malaria so instead medication must be taken which essentially kills the parasite if/when it gets into your system.  I have heard stories about malaria pills causing weird dreams and nightmares so I was kind of nervous, but fortunately I am able to use doxycycline as a preventative and it has fewer/no side affect compared to other malaria drugs (eg malarone or chloroquine).  The down side is that not only do I have to take the medicine two days before the trip and every day during the trip, but I also have to keep taking it for a month after I return!

So that is all the prescription stuff I needed for the trip.  The doctor also sent me home with a list of non-prescription things I'll need to bring with me such as Imodium, pedialyte, and deet mosquito repellent.   The trip is still four months away but I'm glad to be getting started on some of the logistics early as I'm sure time will fly by and I'll be on that airplane to Ghana sooner than I know it!