Hepatitis A (viral) and Typhoid (Salmonella Typhi bacteria) are both faecal oral – clean water (bottled), no salad and chances of getting it are low. Faecal oral is the medically polite way of saying “eat shit and die”. I bet you never knew where that phrase came from? This is where.

Hepatitis B is spread via bodily fluids exchange so safe sex and not sharing needles with IVDU minimise risk

ADT (Acellular Diphtheria and Tetanus) is a cheap and cheerful vaccination good to boost every 5-10 years regardless.

If you were planning a day trip chances are you don’t need these. If you were staying longer not a bad option.

Did I mention the time I stayed in for a year in the Solomon Islands and decided I did not need malaria prophylaxis anymore? After I actually got malaria I realised I was wrong. If you’re wondering it’s like an “I wish I was dead” dose of flu. Actually it was more like “I wish I had continued to take my Doxy” dose of reality check.

So short stay with care, you should be ok to skip things. Long stay… get the lot.

Hi Vicki

When I got my hepB vacc. the procedure was to do it once and then test right away to see if my immunity was good enough. It was not, so I got a 2nd dose then which boosted it to the correct level. I don’t understand it but you have to keep at it with the boosters until you get to the right level. I assumed that once I got there I stayed there, but I’ve never been tested since so I don’t actually know.

dt

What I meant to convey is that the hepB vaccination that I got (Engerix- does not always give good enough immunity if you only do it the one time. Maybe that is what happened to you. The only way to know is to test after it has been done and repeat the vacc until you do show immune. I documented all by HBV shots as follows:

2007 October 5th
HepB first shot

2007 November 2nd
HepB 2nd shot

2008 April 4th
HepB 3rd shot.

2008 June 3rd
Blood draw shows HBV booster required

2008 June 25th
HepB 4th (booster) shot at GP .

August 28th 2008, test shows HBV antibody levels are now OK.

That makes sense. Thanks. I’ll take this info back to the clinic on my next visit.

Very interesting doc.
My hbv vaccinations were directed by my hepc doc at a UK hospital infectious diseases / virology department. I am not immunocompromised. So there’s a difference in policy between UK and AU, or at least there was circa 2007.
dt

Hi LG,

This is interesting because you are in the UK also. If your hospital was routinely checking it implies that they were prepared to give you another vaccination if they found you had no resistance to Hepb. Otherwise why check? Are you immunocompromised?

The guidelines posted by the doc say not to worry about it. Get the primary course and you are good to go. No need to check.

So I don’t know, but good luck with this Vicki. If you learn any more at your next clinic visit I’d be interested to hear about it.
dt