There are many things your doctor will need to know to help give you the best advice for your trip. Think about the following questions before you visit your doctor.
- When are you traveling, and how long will you be at each location?
- Where are you traveling?
- Which countries are you visiting?
- If you are visiting more than one country, in what order will you visit these countries?
- Where within the country or countries will you be traveling?
- Are these destinations urban or rural?
- Where will you be staying (sleeping) during your trip (such as hotel with air conditioning, screened cabin, open-air tents, or with family or friends)?
- What activities will you be doing during your trip (such as hiking, backpacking, scuba diving, sightseeing, visiting family or friends, etc.)?
- Have you traveled internationally in the past?
- Where did you go?
- When did you travel?
- How old are you?
- What vaccinations have you had before?
- Do you have or could you get a written record of your previous vaccinations?
- When did you have these vaccinations?
- How many doses did you have of a particular vaccine? (for example, some vaccines, such as the hepatitis A and B vaccines or the measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, require multiple doses for long-term protection)
- Have you had any allergies or reactions to vaccines?
- Do you have any other allergies (for example, medicines, foods, or environmental)?
- In particular, do you have an allergy to eggs, latex, yeast, mercury, or thimerosal?
- What is your medical history and current health status? Be sure to tell your doctor about past illnesses and surgeries, chronic health problems, or other underlying medical conditions.
- What medications are you currently taking or have you taken in the past 3 months?
- Is your immune system suppressed?
- If you are a female,
- Are you pregnant now?
- Are you trying to become pregnant, or will you try to become pregnant in the next 3 months?
- Are you breast-feeding?