Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Rabies
Rabies is present in Iran and any dog bites or licks on broken skin should be treated with
suspicion as rabies can be fatal. Animal handlers should be vaccinated, as should those
travelling to remote areas where a reliable source of post-bite vaccine is not available
within 24 hours. Three injections are needed over a month. If you have not been vaccin-
ated you will need a course of five injections starting within 24 hours of the injury. Vac-
cination does not provide immunity; it merely buys more time to seek appropriate medical
help.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is found in Iran, especially in the southeast. TB is spread through close
respiratory contact and occasionally through infected milk or milk products. BCG vaccine
is recommended for those likely to be mixing closely with the local population, though it
is not a guarantee against infection.
Traveller's Diarrhoea
While water is safe to drink almost everywhere in Iran, avoiding tap water unless it has
been boiled, filtered or chemically disinfected can help you avoid diarrhoea. Freshly pre-
pared meals are best, while pre-prepared dishes like
khoresht
should be avoided by those
with fragile stomachs.
If you develop diarrhoea, be sure to drink plenty of fluids, preferably an oral rehydra-
tion solution containing lots of salt and sugar. A few loose stools don't require treatment,
but if you start having more than four or five stools a day, you should start taking an anti-
biotic (usually a quinolone drug) and an antidiarrhoeal agent (such as loperamide). If
diarrhoea is bloody, persists for more than 72 hours, is accompanied by fever, shaking,
chills or severe abdominal pain you should seek medical attention.
Environmental Hazards
Heat Illness
Heat exhaustion occurs following heavy sweating and excessive fluid loss with inadequate
replacement of fluids and salt, and travellers will be especially susceptible during Iran's
oven-hot summers, particularly if you are engaging in a greater level of exercise than you
usually would. Be especially careful on desert treks out of places like Yazd.
