Vaccinations, disease and malaria advice for your chosen destination:

Egypt (Africa)

Immunisations Malaria Malaria Map News

Advice for All Destinations

The risks to health whilst travelling will vary between individuals and many issues need to be taken into account, e.g. activities abroad, length of stay and general health of the traveller. It is recommended that you consult with your General Practitioner or Practice Nurse who will assess your particular health risks before recommending vaccines and /or antimalarial tablets. This is also a good opportunity to discuss important travel health issues including safe food and water, accidents, sun exposure and insect bites. Many of the problems experienced by travellers cannot be prevented by vaccinations and other preventive measures need to be taken.

Ensure you are fully insured for medical emergencies including repatriation. The 'T7' leaflet (from Post Offices) gives details of health care agreements between countries and is accompanied by an application form for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The completed form must submitted about 6 weeks before you plan to leave to allow the card to reach you on time. The EHIC entitles travellers to reduced-cost, sometimes free, medical treatment in most European countries.

For Travel Safety Advice you should visit the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.

A worldwide list of clinics, run by members of the International Society of Travel Medicine is availble on the ISTM website.

Immunisations

  • Confirm primary courses and boosters are up to date as recommended for life in Britain - including vaccines given to special groups because of risk exposure or complications (e.g. hepatitis B for health care workers, influenza and pneumococcal vaccines for the elderly).
  • Courses or boosters usually advised: diphtheria; tetanus; poliomyelitis; hepatitis A; typhoid.
  • Vaccines sometimes advised: rabies; hepatitis B.
  • Yellow fever certificate required if over 1 year old and entering from an infected area. Air passengers, without a certificate, and in transit from yellow fever infected countries will be detained in the precincts of the airport until their journey is resumed.

Notes on the diseases mentioned above

  • Tetanus is contracted through dirty cuts and scratches and poliomyelitis spread through contaminated food and water. They are serious infections of the nervous system.
  • Typhoid and hepatitis A are spread through contaminated food and water. Typhoid causes septicaemia and hepatitis A causes liver inflammation and jaundice. In risk areas you should be immunised if good hygiene is impossible.
  • Diphtheria is also spread through by droplet infection through close personal contact. Vaccination is advised if close contact with locals in risk areas is likely.
  • Hepatitis B is spread through infected blood, contaminated needles and sexual intercourse, It affects the liver, causes jaundice and occasionally liver failure. Vaccination is recommended for those at occupational risk (e.g. health care workers), for long stays or frequent travel to medium and high risk areas, for those more likely to be exposed such as children (from cuts and scratches) and those who may need surgical procedures.
  • Rabies is spread through bites or licks on broken skin from an infected animal. It is always fatal. Vaccination is advised for those going to risk areas that will be remote from a reliable source of vaccine. Even when pre-exposure vaccines have been received urgent medical advice should be sought after any animal bite.

Malaria

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease transmitted by mosquitoes. You cannot be vaccinated against malaria.

Malaria precautions

  • Malaria Map
  • Small risk of serious malaria in El Faiyum area (50 miles south of Cairo on west bank of the Nile) from June till October.
  • Malaria precautions are essential. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net.
  • Antimalarial tablets are not normally recommended.
  • Prompt investigation of fever is essential.

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