Guatemala: Travel Vaccines & Health Advice

These are some of the major health risks and vaccinations that you’ll need to consider for a trip to Guatemala.

We stock most required vaccines on-site. You should ideally see us 4-6 weeks before your trip.

Recommended vaccinations:

Hepatitis A vaccine

Highly recommended. Hepatitis A is a viral disease that affects the liver. You can get hepatitis A through contaminated food or water in this country, regardless of where you are eating or staying.

Immunisation is the best protection against hepatitis A infection and is recommended for travel to this area. It involves either 2 doses of hepatitis A vaccine, or 3 doses of the hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines given as a combination.

Typhoid vaccine

Recommended for most travellers. You can get typhoid through contaminated food or water, especially if you are staying with friends or relatives, visiting smaller cities or rural areas, or if you are an adventurous eater.

Safe food and water practices are the basis of prevention, but vaccination is also recommended for travel to this area. Immunity post-vaccination lasts for 2-3 years.

Some travellers may require:

Anti-malaria medications

You should avoid mosquito bites to prevent malaria.

You may need to take prescription medicine before, during, and after your trip to prevent malaria, depending on your travel plans, such as where you are going, when you are traveling, and if you are spending a lot of time outdoors or sleeping outside. Malaria in Guatemala is sensitive to chloroquine

Malaria is present throughout the year in rural areas at 1,500 metres elevation and below; no risk in Guatemala City, Antigua or Lake Atitlán.

Rabies vaccine

Rabies can be found in dogs, bats, and other mammals in this country, but it is not a major risk to most travellers. The vaccine is only recommended for these groups:

• Travellers involved in outdoor and other activities in remote areas that put them at risk for animal bites (such as adventure travel and caving).
• People who will be working with or around animals (such as veterinarians, wildlife professionals, and researchers).
• People who are taking long trips or moving to remote areas

Routine vaccinations

Make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccines before every trip, such as:

• measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine
• diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine
• varicella (chickenpox) vaccine
• influenza vaccine

Other health considerations for travellers to Guatemala

Dengue

Dengue fever is an infection transmitted by mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. There is no vaccine to prevent infection, so you should protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times in dengue areas.

Chagas Disease

Chagas disease is caused by a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi. It is spread by insects known as triatomine or “kissing bugs”, common in South America, Central America and Mexico.

You can prevent Chagas disease by:

• Avoiding sleeping in mud, thatch or adobe housees. These types of residences are more likely to harbor triatomine bugs.
• Use insecticide-soaked netting over your bed when sleeping in thatch, mud or adobe houses.
• Use insecticides to remove insects from your residence.
• Use insect repellent on exposed skin.

Chikungunya

Chikungunya is caused by a virus transmitted by mosquitoes. It is occurs in Africa, India, South-East Asia and the Western Pacific.

There is no vaccine currently available. Preventing mosquito bites is the only way to reduce your risk of infection.

Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by a parasite transmitted by sand flies. Roughly 10 million people in the world are currently infected. Its most serious form is known as kala-azar, which is fatal in 95% of cases.

You can reduce your risk of catching leishmaniasis by sleeping under nets treated with insecticide. Other measures include spraying insecticides to kill sandflies.

River Blindness (Onchocerciasis)

Onchocerciasis is an eye and skin disease caused by a worm (filaria). It is transmitted to humans via repeated bites of a blackfly.

Symptoms include severe itching, disfiguring skin conditions and visual impairment which can lead to permanent blindness

No vaccine is available. Prevention has been via public health insecticide programs to eradicate blackfly larvae.

Soil-transmitted helminths

Wearing enclosed footwear in undeveloped areas is important to prevent hookworm. Hookworms penetrate through intact skin such as walking with bare feet, and can cause severe gastrointestinal and skin infections.

Travellers diarrhoea

Traveller’s diarrhoea affects roughly 20-50% of overseas travellers. It is caused by ingesting contaminated food or water. The bacteria that trigger the illness may appear harmless to the local population, usually because they have developed immunity to them. Symptoms include abdominal bloating, cramps, nausea, fevers and diarrhoea.

Tips to prevent traveller’s diarrhoea:

• Avoid contaminated foods such as raw or peeled vegetables, undercooked meats, unpasteurised dairy products and food from street vendors.
• Avoid drinking or brushing your teeth with tap water
• Buy bottled water to drink
• Boil tap water for at least 5 minutes before drinking it
• Avoid drinks that contain ice
• Avoid using tap water to wash your fruit and vegetables
• Wash your hands and eat at reputable restaurants.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by infection with the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis can damage a person’s lungs or other parts of the body and cause serious illness.

• Avoid exposure to people who have active tuberculosis.
• Only consume pasteurized milk products.
• Travellers at higher risk should be tested for tuberculosis upon their return home.
• There is a vaccine available which confers partial protection. Speak to your doctor to determine if this is recommended.

Zika

Zika virus is a mild febrile illness, spread via the bite of an infected mosquito or by having sex with an infected person. Studies have shown that Zika virus infection in a pregnant woman can be transmitted to the baby, causing congenital problems such as microcephaly.

The best way to prevent Zika is to protect yourself from mosquito bites. Pregnant women should consider deferring travel to high risk countries

This information is intended as a guide only and is not to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Recommendations on vaccinations and medications require assessment on an individual basis, taking into account factors such as your medical history, itinerary, length of stay and style of travel.