Hep A/B vaccination

[Dani7]

Hello everyone

I went to my doctor to get a tetanus shot as I thought I was way overdue, but turns out I had one in 2017 so did not need. However, I did ask if a Hepatitis A/B shot was necessary and he said no (he was told about my upcoming Camino).

What have your experiences been? Did you feel the need to get this vaccine or hear of anyone in your travels on the Camino who contracted Hep A/B?

This is my first Camino so I am in the dark. Even though Spain is a first world country, we just had an outbreak here in my hometown due to a person who had Hep A and was in charge of serving at the deli section. Hundreds of people who bought deli meats at that store had to have the vaccine. Two actually contracted the virus.

Thanks to all those that care to share

 

[SabsP]

@Dani7 A really interesting question. Hope someone can come up with objective data and links.

I found this.

Spain - Traveler view | Travelers' Health | CDC

Official U.S. government health recommendations for traveling. Provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

wwwnc.cdc.gov

I live in Belgium and due to my kind of job I get my vaccines at work.

 

[C clearly]

I think that the Hep A/B vaccinations are now very routinely recommended, whether people are traveling or not. As you pointed out, there was an outbreak in your home town.

 

[Delphinoula]

Risk assessment with you doctor. Are you in a higher risk croup? Do not answer this. Staff in the medical field get them. Do you have time for the full set. Who pays for them? What are the side effects? Sound you could have used them in your home town? Are you a carrier? Polio updated? Flu shots?
FSMETick-borne encephalitis vaccine is a vaccine used to prevent tick-borne encephalitis, Spain seem to be not to be an area but if you stop anywhere else in Europe.
We used to have warning signes for areas that where infected it’s now so common we have no more signes in Germany. Encephalitis is no fun can speak from expitience. Since you are out in the open so much when walking. I did not encounter any ticks. But I took the normal precautions.

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Hello everyone

I went to my doctor to get a tetanus shot as I thought I was way overdue, but turns out I had one in 2017 so did not need. However, I did ask if a Hepatitis A/B shot was necessary and he said no (he was told about my upcoming Camino).

What have your experiences been? Did you feel the need to get this vaccine or hear of anyone in your travels on the Camino who contracted Hep A/B?

This is my first Camino so I am in the dark. Even though Spain is a first world country, we just had an outbreak here in my hometown due to a person who had Hep A and was in charge of serving at the deli section. Hundreds of people who bought deli meats at that store had to have the vaccine. Two actually contracted the virus.

Thanks to all those that care to share

much more likely to get bit by bedbugs
condoms are sold everywhere

 

[Texas Walker]

much more likely to get bit by bedbugs
condoms are sold everywhere

Context on that, for anyone scratchingtheir heads: Hep A is spread by eating the wrong (contaminated) things. Hep B is spread by bodily fluids.

Re the meat of the question, I never felt like I was in need of Hep vaccination in Spain. (Hep vaccinations of any kind were not a thing when I was young.) It's a first world country, and basic sensible behavior is plenty. So, carry hand sanitizer and if you can't figure out the bar restroom sink, or there is no soap, use it. The sanitizer is also a first aid supply, it's basically rubbing alcohol with a thickener, and I use it on blisters if they develop. Dual purpose for the win!

 

[C clearly]

much more likely to get bit by bedbugs

Yes, and if there were a vaccination against them, I'd seriously consider it!

 

[Saint Mike II]

As I spent long periods in East Africa from 2005 I had a similar discussion with my GP. His recommendation included both Hep A/B. The Hep A was pretty straight forward and was included with a Typhoid booster. Hep B is a three stage process the first two about 2 weeks apart with third one 4 months later. In my opinion unless you are intending to volunteer in an albergue or have Africa or Sth America on the horizon I would not worry. Updating the tetanus was sensible, but you might want to think about a “polio” booster. My GP recommended both. Cheers

 

[Dani7]

Risk assessment with you doctor. Are you in a higher risk croup? Do not answer this. Staff in the medical field get them. Do you have time for the full set. Who pays for them? What are the side effects? Sound you could have used them in your home town? Are you a carrier? Polio updated? Flu shots?
FSMETick-borne encephalitis vaccine is a vaccine used to prevent tick-borne encephalitis, Spain seem to be not to be an area but if you stop anywhere else in Europe.
We used to have warning signes for areas that where infected it’s now so common we have no more signes in Germany. Encephalitis is no fun can speak from expitience. Since you are out in the open so much when walking. I did not encounter any ticks. But I took the normal precautions.

Unlikely to contract in my jlmetown

much more likely to get bit by bedbugs
condoms are sold everywhere

if I ever contracted hep B my husband’s lifespan would be drastically shortened

 

[K Turner]

I got my Hep A before my Camino in August. I was up-to-date on others. I'm in the US and was able to get it at Costco (a warehouse club, often with a pharmacy) for a surprisingly low price. My immune system is rather weak so I figured it was a simple preventive step I could take. For a few dollars and a few minutes out of my day, it was worth it.

Hello everyone

I went to my doctor to get a tetanus shot as I thought I was way overdue, but turns out I had one in 2017 so did not need. However, I did ask if a Hepatitis A/B shot was necessary and he said no (he was told about my upcoming Camino).

What have your experiences been? Did you feel the need to get this vaccine or hear of anyone in your travels on the Camino who contracted Hep A/B?

This is my first Camino so I am in the dark. Even though Spain is a first world country, we just had an outbreak here in my hometown due to a person who had Hep A and was in charge of serving at the deli section. Hundreds of people who bought deli meats at that store had to have the vaccine. Two actually contracted the virus.

Thanks to all those that care to share

 

[frjuliangreen]

Erm, you do realise Spain is not in the developing world?

 

[Delphinoula]

Hi frater,
Not sure if you ever saw French Kiss with Ryan and Klein? She traveling to Paris packs toilet paper. But it’s a galore of misconceptions. I taught a bunch of young Americans that we in Europe have indoor plumbing, a bit offended, only to find out that in Virginia not all houses have it and you have to pump water by hand. So the question was a serious one. And if you grew up without you would like one. Plus you never know those strange Spaniards with their strange Spanish ways.

 

[David with new Kit!]

For those of us that live in Europe and travel in Europe I'd say this is a strange question.

I do get it for travelling in Asia, but Europe?

It's up to you but I'd say it's overthinking it.

 

[Marcus-UK]

Standard world wide travel vaccinations recommended for UK armed forces:

• MMR 1 and 2
• Meningitis ACWY and Meningitis B
• Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio
• The BCG Tuberculosis vaccine
• HPV Vaccine (for females only)
• Screening for Rubella if you are working in medicine or healthcare
• Yellow fever
• Typhoid
• Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Anthrax

After all they have been invading various places for a few hundred years and know what it is best for you

 

[Delphinoula]

Now before you good people are asking for these goodies. Soldiers are exposed a bit differently to possible pathogen. Some of them have sever side effects. Not the soldiers the vaccine. Well the soldiers too coming to think of it.
The HPV vaccine is for men, too.
Ah I get it British humor.

 

[Dani7]

Erm, you do realise Spain is not in the developing world?

I do.

 

[Dani7]

Thanks to all who took the time to respond back. Much appreciated. Simmering in it all.

 

[Tazz]

Hep A and B immunizations are fairly routine in North America and Western Europe.
In Canada Hep B immunization is routine in all children in Grade 7 (2 needles at that age).

Although the risk is low for most people, my feeling is why not get them. If you are travelling for a month in Spain, you're likely to travel to riskier places at some point in your life.
I live in Ontario, and we too have periodic Hep A outbreaks. Hep A is not chronic and but self limiting and rarely fatal, however you can get pretty sick. Hep B can become chronic and lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and death. Hep C is bad too but there is currently no immunization.

It is not uncommon for pilgrims to sexually hook up with other pilgrims and / or get tattoos as a souvenir of their camino. Those are both risks for Hep B. I'd also recommend HPV shots for any sexually adventurous travellers (or people not travelling)

Tic Borne encephalitis (which was mentioned earlier), does not appear to be prevalent in Spain based upon distribution maps. Regardless, it is almost impossible to get the immunization in the USA or Canada unless you are in the military.

See the attached link to the CDC website link which I think is pretty good.

Spain - Traveler view | Travelers' Health | CDC

Official U.S. government health recommendations for traveling. Provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

wwwnc.cdc.gov

 

[Moorwalker]

Erm, you do realise Spain is not in the developing world?

You don't need to be in "undeveloped" countries to be exposed to a wide range of potential diseases.

The WHO recommend the following vaccinations for Spain: Hepatitis A & B, meningitis, polio, measles, mumps & rubella (usually as a single MMR shot), tetanus, diphtheria & pertussis (usually as a triple vaccine known as TDAP), chickenpox/shingles, pneumonia, and influenza. For people who may come into close contact with animals, rabies. My local travel clinic also suggest tick borne encephalitis.

Personally I get any vaccine going. Other than the usual sore arm and feeling a bit off colour for a day or two there is no down side to it, the risk of serious reactions is extremely small despite the scaremongering from some quarters.

 

[Moorwalker]

Standard world wide travel vaccinations recommended for UK armed forces:

• MMR 1 and 2
• Meningitis ACWY and Meningitis B
• Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio
• The BCG Tuberculosis vaccine
• HPV Vaccine (for females only)
• Screening for Rubella if you are working in medicine or healthcare
• Yellow fever
• Typhoid
• Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Anthrax

After all they have been invading various places for a few hundred years and know what it is best for you

The armed services need cover for things that most of us won't encounter though, because they may be shipped off to the back end of wherever at short notice. You don't need yellow fever in Europe, I got it when I was heading to Brazil. The old version of the Anthrax vaccine is one of the few that carries a risk of serious reactions so was usually only given to people like the armed forces or to people working in the textile industry handling raw wool. HPV is now recommended for men as well as women, you can catch it too and it can cause penile cancer amongst other things, it also helps to prevent the spread.

I'll take any vaccination that's on offer, the risk of catching most of the diseases while traveling is small, but I would much rather have the short term discomfort of the vaccination than run the risk of catching a very nasty disease.

 

[JillGat]

I contracted Hepatitis A while traveling, but not in Spain. You can catch it anywhere... outbreaks are not uncommon in the US. Hepatitis B is less common, but you don't want to get that, either. I'd get vaccinations for both of them, if I were you. They are safe and much better than getting either of these diseases.

 

[JillGat]

As a two-time Peace Corps Volunteer in Africa, my battered, yellow WHO card is full of all these + Rabies and Cholera, but never got the Anthrax one - guess I don't qualify for the UK Armed Forces. Can't wait to add Covid-19 when my turn comes.

RPCV Jamaica, 1989-1990 here. Even though I *had* Hepatitis A, the disease, I was required to take a four hour bus ride to Kingston to get a painful Gamma Globulin shot (pre Hep A vaccine) in the butt and then sit on that butt for four hours on the bumpy bus home every month.

 

[OTH86]

RPCV Jamaica, 1989-1990 here. Even though I *had* Hepatitis A, the disease, I was required to take a four hour bus ride to Kingston to get a painful Gamma Globulin shot (pre Hep A vaccine) in the butt and then sit on that butt for four hours on the bumpy bus home every month.

Oh no! Poor you, @JillGat ! How could I have forgotten those?! Mauritania 86-89 & Niger 91-93

 

[Anamya]

Hi there!

I worked in an Embassy before, and I always recommend for people to look for the advice given by their official government travel's website and the Embassy of their country in Spain before going on camino.

I believe the OP is from Canada, so the page of the Embassy of Canada in Madrid links to this advice, with specific info about vaccines to Spain: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/spain
People from other countries should look at their own government's requitrement.

Routine Vaccines​

Be sure that your routine vaccines, as per your province or territory, are up-to-date regardless of your travel destination.
Some of these vaccines include: measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Vaccines to Consider​

You may be at risk for these vaccine-preventable diseases while travelling in this country. Talk to your travel health professional about which ones are right for you.
Hepatitis B

Influenza

Measles

Yellow Fever - Country Entry Requirements