The information's in this page are general information's about health in Vietnam (Asia) to help you to prepare your trip or your expatriation; the diseases mentioned on this page are not specific to Vietnam and many of them are widespread all over the world more or less according each disease and each country.
The information are not comprehensive and does not replace a specific medical advice or medical consultation that takes in account your medical condition which is at least as important as the environment in the country is. For children, elderly, pregnancy and people with chronic disease or/and taking regular medication, a specific medical advice is necessary either for prevention, diagnosis or treatment.
BEFORE TO TRAVEL
1. Vaccinations
A - Routine Vaccinations
Before travel, be sure you and your children are up to date on all routine immunizations according to schedules approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP). Some schedules can be accelerated for travel.
See your doctor at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for shots to take effect. If it is less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see your doctor. It might not be too late to get your shots or medications as well as other information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.
B - Recommended Vaccinations and Preventive Medications
The following vaccines may be recommended for your travel to Southeast Asia . Discuss your travel plans and personal health with a health-care provider to determine which vaccines you will need.
Hepatitis A Transmission of hepatitis A virus can occur through direct person-to-person contact; through exposure to contaminated water, ice, or shellfish harvested in contaminated water; or from fruits, vegetables, or other foods that are eaten uncooked and that were contaminated during harvesting or subsequent handling.
Hepatitis B , especially if you might be exposed to blood or body fluids (for example, health-care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment. Hepatitis B vaccine is now recommended for all infants and for children ages 11–12 years who did not receive the series as infants.
Japanese encephalitis , if you plan to visit or work rural farming areas and under special circumstances, such as a known outbreak of Japanese encephalitis especially during the monsoon.
Malaria, there is no malaria in the big cities and it is not recommended to take preventive medication for the expatriates who will live in the country (except under special circumstances or living in an endemic rural area). But in some circumstances like a trip in the mountains or in contaminated areas or a round trip through Vietnam it is recommended to take preventive drug. Prevent this serious disease by seeing your health care provider for a prescription ant malarial drug and by protecting yourself against mosquito bites.
Rabies , if you work in contact with animals, or if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas, such as might occur during camping, hiking, or bicycling, or engaging in certain occupational activities. Generally not recommended for normal travelers.
Typhoid , Typhoid fever can be contracted through contaminated drinking water or food, or by eating food or drinking beverages that have been handled by a person who is infected.
As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria-polio and measles.
C - Required Vaccinations
None.
D - Yellow Fever
There is no risk for yellow fever in Vietnam and Southeast Asia . A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry if you are coming from countries in South America or sub-Saharan Africa .
2. What You Need To Bring With You
Insect repellent containing DEET
Flying-insect spray to help clear rooms of mosquitoes. The product should contain a pyrethroid insecticide; these insecticides quickly kill flying insects, including mosquitoes.
Iodine tablets and portable water filters to purify water if bottled water is not available.
Sun block, sunglasses, and a hat for protection from harmful effects of UV sun rays.
Prescription medications: make sure you have enough to last during your trip, as well as a copy of the prescription(s) or letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you.
Always carry medications in their original containers, in your carry-on luggage.
Be sure to bring along over-the-counter antidiarrheal medication (e.g., bismuth subsalicylate, loperamide) and an antibiotic prescribed by your doctor to self-treat moderate to severe diarrhea.
Bring your Vaccinations booklet
Provide yourself with your blood group card.
Underwrite a sanitary repatriation insurance.
WHEN TRAVELING
1. To stay healthy, do...
Wash your hands often with soap and water.
Drink only bottled or boiled water or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes.
Take your malaria prevention medication before, during, and after travel, as directed. (See your health care provider for a prescription.)
To prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot, even on beaches.
Always use latex condoms to reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Protect yourself from mosquito insect bites:
2. Do not
Do not eat food that is not well cooked to reduce risk of infection (i.e., hepatitis A and typhoid fever).
Do not drink beverages with ice.
Avoid dairy products, unless you know they have been pasteurized.
Do not swim in fresh water to avoid exposure to certain water-borne diseases such as schistosomiasis.
Do not handle animals, especially monkeys, dogs, and cats, to avoid bites and serious diseases (including rabies and plague). Consider pre-exposure rabies vaccination if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas.
Do not touch dead animals or surfaces spoiled with animals dejections.
Do not share brush teeth, razors, needles for tattoos, body piercing or injections to prevent infections such as HIV and hepatitis B.
3. Information for tourists
A - Environmental hazards
Climate & air pollution : heat, humidity, dust and motor fumes (especially in Saigon and Hanoi ) combine their effects that can worsen a lung disease. It can also aggravate coughs, colds and sinus problems. The use of air conditioned too cold and directed on the face or the chest should be avoided. If you have sinus or lung disease, take your usual medication (inhaler…) for exacerbation of the symptoms.
Sunburn : in the tropics, even you do not feel very hot especially on the beach or under the clouds you can get sunburn quickly. Protect your skin with a sun cream with a strength adapted to your skin sensitivity, wear a hat and protect your eyes with sunglasses.
B - Infectious diseases
Diarrhea
Diarrhea is a common symptom among the travelers often call “tourista”; but it can be just the sign of diet changes until the sign of a very severe disease that needs a hospitalization.
When should you see a doctor?
If you have bloody stool or/and mucus
if you have fever
if you have severe abdominal pain
if you have very often watery stool and you loose a lot of water and weight
if you are vomiting
If you are not in these cases, you can help yourself by a good diet:
fluid replacement: drink at least equal to the volume being lost; take the World Health Organization ORS solutions but if you cannot find it you can drink Coca-Cola or Pepsi-Cola; take away the gas by adding 1 teaspoon of sugar into each glass.
Bland diet: eat only white steam rice with boiled carrot, porridge (“chao” in Vietnamese) and soups (“pho” in Vietnamese).
Stick to this diet for 48H to 72H. If the symptoms are not released after 3 days, you should seek for medical advice. Some medication like Loperamide (Imodium) should be avoided because it can delay the recovery. Use only if you must travel to seek medical advice and have no access to the toilets.
Hepatitis
5 types of hepatitis are known: A, B, C, D and E. The most common are the types A, B and C. They are all widespread worldwide but hepatitis B and C are more common in Asia than they are in Western countries.
Hepatitis A is transmitted by contaminated food and water or through direct person-to-person contact. You can be protected by a vaccine. If not vaccinated wash your hands often and more before eating or drinking.
Hepatitis B is transmitted through contact with infected blood, blood products or body fluids: sexual contact, unsterilised needles, blood transfusions or some breaks of the skin (shaver, body piercing, tattoo); it is very common in all Vietnam particularly in some areas. Now the Vietnamese health program includes the systematic vaccination of the newborns and also vaccination during the pregnancy to give immunization to the fetus and prevent the contamination from the infected mother at birth. There is a very effective vaccine recommended to have before to come to Asia . If not yet done, avoid any blood exposure; in the clinics and hospitals they use disposable needles and syringes; use condom can prevent sexual exposure.
Hepatitis C is mostly spread through infected blood contact and blood products (unsterilised needles and blood transfusion) and rarely by sexual contact; it is widespread in Vietnam and there is no preventive vaccine. The only prevention is to avoid risk situations.
Hepatitis D is usually a co infection that contaminates the people already infected with hepatitis B virus or also with hepatitis C virus and HIV. We do not have much data about this hepatitis in Vietnam .
Hepatitis E is transmitted by contaminated food and water; it is not common in Vietnam , just sporadic cases are found. Prevention is the same as Hepatitis A by having a good hygiene but there is no vaccine. It is particularly serious for the pregnant women during the third trimester.
HIV and AIDS
An infection with the human immunodeficiency virus may lead to immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is a very severe chronic disease that leads to many others complications. We have now some good medications to prevent most of the complications and to live in good condition but not to cure the disease.
The people are infected through the blood or blood products from infected people or sexual contact.
The only prevention is to avoid risk situations and use condom to prevent sexual exposure.
Parasites
The tropical zone is known to have much kind of parasites.
You can be contaminated through: food (raw or not enough cooked), drinking water, fresh water when swimming, the soil and contacts with animals by skin bites. They can give no symptoms or various symptoms including but not limited to: skin rash and itching, abdominal pain, diarrhea, hematuria for the most common.
If you are experiencing some symptoms, better to seek doctor advice.
Bird Flu
The Bird Flu has been spreading to some countries in the world and there are cases in Vietnam among the poultry mostly the chickens, but also the ducks and the pork. Some people are affected but they are all people who work in the farms and take care directly of the affected animals; they have been infected by dejections of affected animals or dead affected animals.
Some people from people contamination (12 cases in Thailand ) have been supposed inside the same family with permanent or repetitive contact but without spreading outside the family.
No case has been reported from eating cooked animals.
It is advisable not to go to the areas where they grow poultry but there is no or very minimal risk in the normal tourist areas.
No vaccine has been recommended and the normal flu vaccine does not protect against the H5N1 virus responsible of the bird flu. There is one antiviral drug that reduces the symptoms of the affected people: oseltamivir (Tamiflu®).
No restriction for traveling has been making by the WHO but avoid the animal farms. Just do not touch dead animals even in the market or surfaces spoiled with animal's dejections, wash your hands often with hydro alcoholic solution, and cook the food at more than 70 C.
The Traveler Medication Kit ( It's avaiable in every big city in Vietnam)
Mild sleeping pills (Lexomil);
Urinary antiseptics (Noroxine);
Antidiarrhoeics (Tiorfan, Smecta);
Laxatives (Forlax);
Antalgics (Paracetamol) ;
Antispasmodics (Spasfon, Debridat);
Antipyretics (Paracetamol);
Antihistaminic (Cetirizine);
Antimalarials ;
Antibiotics (Augmentin);
Eye-drops (antiseptic, antiallergic) ;
Antiemetics (travel sickness) Primperan ;
Oral rehydration salts (WHO recommendation ; can be prepared by yourself: 6 level coffee spoons of sugar and 1/2 coffee spoon of salt in 1 liter of drinking water) ;
Ear drops.
