Podcast PTA FUNK: Einfach Englisch lernen – Travel Vaccines

Dialogue

PTA: Good morning, what can I do for you?

Customer: I’m planning a trip to Cameroon and Nigeria when I retire later this year. I have all the usual vaccinations and I had the jabs against hepatitis A and B for a trip to Bali several years back. What else do I need?

PTA: Yellow fever is prevalent in both countries, so you’ll need immunization for that and now that the contraindications and precautions have been updated, a thorough assessment is recommended. This has to be carried out by a healthcare professional specialized in the evaluation of individual risks concerning the yellow fever vaccine.

Customer: Really? Why is that?

PTA: To protect people over 60 years of age and those with weakened immunity.

Customer: Is the vaccine so dangerous?

PTA: It’s a live vaccine and rare neurological side effects are more common in the over sixties.

Customer: Wouldn’t it be better to go without? It sounds like the side effects could be worse than the disease itself.

PTA: Older people and those with severe immunodeficiency carry a higher risk of infection and so far, there is no specific treatment.

Customer: How is it transmitted anyhow?

PTA: It’s usually transmitted by a mosquito bite. The insects acquire the virus by feeding on infected primates – both human and non-human – and can then pass the infection on to other primates. The disease is re-emerging in countries with poor vaccine coverage and fatality rates fluctuate between 20 and 60 percent. The symptoms of yellow fever are extremely high temperatures, internal bleeding with vomiting of blood and jaundice – the reason for its name.

Customer: Oh, I see. Nasty!

PTA: In the countries you’re planning to visit vaccination is compulsory and without documentation, you’ll not be allowed access unless you have an official letter of exemption. Even if you had already had a vaccination, the immunization would have to be repeated after ten years. I suggest you make an appointment with the nearest yellow fever vaccination centre for your individual risk assessment. Take your travel itinerary with you and all your vaccination certificates.

Customer: Okay, what else do I have to consider?

PTA: Concerning vaccination, you should think about refreshing your polio vaccination. Luckily, this disease is no longer a risk in Germany but there was an outbreak in Nigeria last year.

Customer: Oh, I didn’t know. I’ll have to check that.

PTA: You should also discuss with your healthcare provider whether you need vaccinating against cholera. Why don’t you bring your vaccination certification to us. That way we could check in advance if there are any standard vaccinations outstanding. The hepatitis A vaccination should also be refreshed after ten years.

Customer: Right, I’ll do that. Thank you very much for your time.

PTA: You’re welcome.

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