TRAVEL HEALTH ADVICE (click for general advice)

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

• 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: hepatitis A; diphtheria; tetanus.
• Vaccines sometimes advised: typhoid; tuberculosis; hepatitis B; rabies; tick-borne encephalitis; Japanese B encephalitis; meningococcal meningitis.
• For Asian and Far Eastern regions only, cholera may sometimes be advised.
• No vaccine certificate required.

Notes on the diseases mentioned above

• Tetanus is contracted through dirty cuts and scratches and causes 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.
• Cholera is spread through contaminated water and food. More common during floods and rainy seasons. Those unable to take effective precautions, for example, during wars and when working in refugee camps or slums may consider vaccination.
• Tuberculosis is most commonly transmitted via droplet infection. BCG vaccination is recommended for travellers under 16 years of age who will be living or working with local people for a prolonged period of time (three months or more). Following individual risk assessment, vaccination may also be considered for travellers under the age of 35 years who may be at high risk through their occupation abroad eg healthcare workers.
• Diphtheria is also spread by droplet infection through close personal contact. Vaccination is advised if close contact with locals in risk areas is likely.
• Meningococcal infection - when outbreaks are reported, vaccination should be considered for travellers to Moscow (not normally for other part of Russia) who will teach in schools, attend university or other courses, frequent crowded bars and clubs, or work in a medical setting.
• 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.
• Tickborne encephalitis is spread by tick bites. It is a serious infection of the brain and vaccination is advised for those in risk areas unable to avoid tick bites such as campers, forestry workers and ramblers.
• 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.
• Japanese B encephalitis is spread by mosquitoes. Risk is only in the very far east of Siberia close to the Chinese border. Advised if likely to be repeatedly exposed to mosquito bites, such as during prolonged stays (e.g. more than 4 weeks), or repeated visits to the infected area.

Malaria - See Map

• Malaria - See Map not normally present unless the illness was contracted abroad.