TRAVEL HEALTH ADVICE (click for general advice)

COSTA RICA

• Confirm primary courses and boosters are up to date as recommended in the vaccination schedule - 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: tetanus; hepatitis A.
• Vaccines sometimes advised: typhoid; hepatitis B; rabies; diphtheria.
• No vaccine certificate required.
• A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers coming from areas with risk of yellow fever transmission. No certificate is required from travellers below the age of 9 months and over the age of 60, pregnant or lactating women, persons with immunosuppression or a history of adverse reactions associated with yellow fever vacine.

Notes on the diseases mentioned above

• Tetanus is contracted through dirty cuts and scratches. This is a serious infection 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 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 - See Map

• There is a variable Malaria - See Map risk in Limon Province. Low risk in the northern canton of Pococci and the city of Limon (Puerto Limon). Low to no risk in all other parts of the countrycostarica.
• 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.
• Check with your doctor or nurse about suitable antiMalaria tablets.
• Chloroquine or proguanil is usually recommended for those visiting risk areas.
• If you have been travelling in a malarious area and develop a fever seek medical attention promptly. Remember Malaria can develop even up to one year after exposure.
• If travelling to high risk malarious areas, remote from medical facilities, carrying emergency Malaria standby treatment may be considered.

Advice for Travellers

• The Costa Rican Ministry of Health has announced that travellers entering Costa Rica from the following countries will now require to have an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis documenting vaccination against yellow fever.
• There has been no change to vaccination or certificate requirements for travellers from the UK.
• Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo (DRC), Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan.
• America: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Peru, Venezuela.
Discovery Travel Network has used information supplied from www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk please visit this site for up to date information.