Health - Central Asia - page 485

Polio Only one booster is
required as an adult for
lifetime protection.
Typhoid Recommended un-
less your trip is for less than
a week. The vaccine offers
around 70% protection,
lasts for two to three years
and comes as a single shot.
Varicella If you haven't
had chickenpox discuss
this vaccination with your
doctor.
The following immunisa-
tions are recommended for
long-term travellers (more
than one month) or those at
special risk:
Meningitis Recommended
for long-term backpackers
aged under 25.
Rabies Side effects are rare
(headache and sore arm).
Tick-Borne Encephalitis
(Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan,
Uzbekistan) Sore arm and
headache are the most
common side effects.

Medical Checklist
Recommended items for a
personal medical kit:
¨ Antibacterial cream
(eg mupirocin)
¨ Antibiotics for
diarrhoea (eg norfloxacin,
ciprofloxacin or
azithromycin for bacterial
diarrhoea; tinidazole for
giardiasis or amoebic
dysentery)
¨ Antibiotics for skin
infections (eg amoxicillin/
clavulanate or cephalexin)
¨ Antifungal cream (eg
clotrimazole)
¨ Antihistamine - there are
many options (eg cetirizine
for day and promethazine
for night)
¨ Antiseptic (eg Betadine)
¨ Antispasmodic for
stomach cramps (eg
Buscopan)
¨ Decongestant (eg
pseudoephedrine)
¨ DEET-based insect
repellent
¨ Acetazolamide (Diamox)
if going to high altitude
¨ Elastoplasts, bandages,
gauze, thermometer
(but not mercury), sterile
needles and syringes, safety
pins and tweezers
¨ Ibuprofen or another anti-
inflammatory
¨ Laxative
¨ Oral rehydration
solution for diarrhoea (eg
Gastrolyte), diarrhoea
'stopper' (eg loperamide)
and anti-nausea medication
(eg prochlorperazine)
¨ Paracetamol
¨ Steroid cream for
allergic/itchy rashes (eg 1%
to 2% hydrocortisone)
¨ Thrush (vaginal yeast
infection) treatment (eg
clotrimazole pessaries or
Diflucan tablets)
¨ Ural or equivalent if prone
to urinary tract infections

Recommended
Vaccinations
Specialised travel-medicine
clinics are your best source
of information on which
vaccines you should have.
Most vaccines don't produce
immunity until at least two
weeks after they're given, so
visit a doctor four to eight
weeks before departure.
The only vaccine required
by international regulations
is yellow fever. Proof of vac-
cination will be required only
if you have visited a country
in the yellow-fever zone
within the six days prior to
entering Kazakhstan.
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan
and Kyrgyzstan all require
HIV testing if staying more
than three months (two
months for Uzbekistan).
Foreign tests are accepted
under certain conditions,
but make sure you check
with the embassy of your
destination before travelling.
The World Health Or-
ganization recommends the
following vaccinations for
travellers to Central Asia:
Adult Diphtheria & Teta-
nus Single booster rec-
ommended if none in the
previous 10 years.
Hepatitis A Provides
almost 100% protection
for up to a year; a booster
after 12 months provides
at least another 20 years'
protection.
Hepatitis B Now consid-
ered routine for most travel-
lers. Given as three shots
over six months. A rapid
schedule is also available,
as is a combined vaccina-
tion with hepatitis A. In 95%
of people lifetime protection
results.
Measles, Mumps & Ru-
bella Two doses required
unless you have had the
diseases. Occasionally a
rash and flulike illness can
develop a week after receiv-
ing the vaccine. Many young
adults require a booster.

Further Reading
Lonely Planet's Healthy
Travel - Asia & India is a
handy pocket size and is
packed with useful informa-
tion, including pre-trip plan-
ning, emergency first aid,
immunisation and disease
information, and what to do
if you get sick on the road.
Other recommended refer-
ences include Traveller's
Health by Dr Richard Da-
wood and Travelling Well by
Dr Deborah Mills - check out
www.travellingwell.com.au.

IN CENTRAL
ASIA

Availability of
Health Care
Health care throughout
Central Asia is basic at best.
Any serious problems will
require evacuation. Good
clinics can provide basic care
and may be able to organise