Travel Vaccines and Advice for Ghana

• Typhoid – Typhoid fever, a bacterial infection caused by Salmonella Typhi, spreads through contaminated food and water sources. Vaccination is recommended for travelers and those at risk, along with maintaining good hygiene and food safety.
• Hepatitis A – Contagious hepatitis A, caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), spreads through contaminated food, water, or close contact. Prevention involves vaccination and practicing good hygiene, particularly when traveling to high-risk areas.
• Yellow Fever – Vaccination is the cornerstone of yellow fever prevention. The live, attenuated yellow fever vaccine is highly effective and provides lifetime immunity. It is a crucial measure for individuals traveling to or residing in areas where the disease is endemic, as it combats the primary mode of transmission via infected mosquitoes.
• Rabies – Rabies is a deadly viral disease affecting mammals, including humans, primarily transmitted through bites or scratches from infected animals. Vaccination is key to preventing rabies, with pre-exposure shots effectively preventing infection.
• Hepatitis B – Hepatitis B, a liver infection transmitted through infected fluids, can be prevented through safe practices and the hepatitis B vaccine. The vaccine prompts the immune system to produce antibodies, offering robust and long-lasting protection against the virus.
• Meningitis – Meningitis is an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes, often caused by viral or bacterial infections. The meningitis vaccine effectively protects against various types of meningitis, especially bacterial, crucial for preventing serious complications like brain damage or even death.
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) – Measles, mumps, and rubella are highly contagious diseases with potentially severe consequences. Preventing their transmission is possible through vaccination with the MMR vaccine. This two-dose vaccine not only safeguards individuals but also helps create herd immunity, reducing the risk of outbreaks within communities.

While proof of yellow fever vaccination is not required for entry to Ghana, it is highly recommended. Yellow fever transmission is widespread throughout Ghana, some countries may require proof of immunization when traveling to them from Ghana.

Malaria is present in all regions of Ghana. Travelers are advised to take antimalarials no matter their destination or itinerary in the country. Malaria in Ghana is chloroquine resistant, be sure to speak with a travel health specialist on which antimalarial is best for your trip.

Mosquitoes, ticks and sand flies are common across Ghana. Their bites can carry serious illness. Malaria is present nationwide and some strains resist chloroquine. The CDC recommends prescription antimalarial medication for all travelers heading anywhere in the country. A Passport Health travel specialist can help you choose the antimalarial that fits your itinerary and health history.

Bug bite risk isn’t limited to rural areas, but it’s highest outside cities. Forest reserves, rural farmland and areas near rivers or lakes see far more mosquito, tick and sand fly activity than downtown Accra. Plan extra precautions if your trip includes hiking, camping or village visits.

Beyond medication, prevention comes down to keeping bugs off your skin. Use a repellent containing DEET, picaridin or IR3535, and reapply it as directed. Treat clothing and gear with permethrin before you leave, since one treatment often lasts through several washes.

Wear long sleeves and pants, especially at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Sleep under a mosquito net or in a screened, air-conditioned room. Check your skin for ticks after spending time outdoors. Avoid walking barefoot through tall grass or brush.

No vaccine protects against most of these bites. Repellent and protective clothing are your best defense.

Travelers’ diarrhea, hepatitis A and typhoid are the illnesses most commonly linked to food and water in Ghana. Good habits at meals and around water cut your risk.

Stick to bottled or properly treated water, and skip ice unless you know it was made from purified water. Rivers, lakes and ponds carry their own risks. Avoid swimming or wading in fresh water, and stay away from floodwater and mud after heavy rain. Both can carry contamination you won’t see.

Eat food that’s fully cooked and served hot. Fruit you peel yourself is safer than fruit that’s already been cut and left sitting out. Street food quality varies widely, and a busy stall with high turnover is generally a safer bet than one with food that’s been sitting for hours.

A hepatitis A vaccine and a typhoid vaccine add another layer of protection before you go. A Passport Health travel specialist can walk you through which ones make sense for your trip.

• African tick-bite fever – Ticks pass this bacterial infection to people through their bite, most often in areas with tall grass, brush or livestock. It’s a listed risk for travelers to Ghana, especially those spending time on farmland or nature reserves. Wearing long pants tucked into socks and checking your skin after outdoor activity lowers your risk.
• Dengue – This viral illness spreads through the bite of an infected mosquito and is a listed risk for travelers to Ghana. Symptoms range from mild fever to severe joint and muscle pain, with no specific treatment beyond rest and fluids. The mosquitoes that carry dengue bite mainly during the day. Daytime precautions matter as much as nighttime ones.
• Hantavirus – People catch this virus by breathing in air contaminated with the urine, droppings or saliva of infected rodents, or less often through a rodent bite. CDC lists it as a risk for travelers to Ghana, particularly in rural buildings or storage areas with rodent activity. Keep food sealed and avoid handling or disturbing rodent nests.
• Lassa fever – This viral disease is established across parts of West Africa and spreads through contact with the urine or droppings of infected rats, or through an infected person’s body fluids. It’s a listed risk for travelers to Ghana. Avoid storing food where rodents can reach it, and steer clear of buildings with signs of rodent activity.
• Leishmaniasis – Sand flies, not mosquitoes, spread this parasitic disease, which CDC lists as a risk for travelers to Ghana. It can cause skin sores or more serious internal illness. Sand flies are weak fliers that stay close to the ground. Permethrin-treated netting and covering exposed skin at night cuts your risk.
• Leptospirosis – This bacterial infection spreads through contact with water or soil contaminated by infected animal urine, including swimming or wading in fresh water. It’s a risk for travelers to Ghana, especially during or after heavy rain. Avoid freshwater sources you can’t confirm are clean, and cover open cuts before wading through wet or muddy ground.
• Melioidosis – Contact with contaminated soil, mud or fresh water, especially after heavy rain, is the main way people catch this bacterial infection. It can also spread through contaminated water droplets in the air during storms. Bandage any open wounds before you’re near soil or standing water.
• Schistosomiasis – Parasites released by freshwater snails cause this disease, and travelers pick it up by swimming, wading or bathing in contaminated streams, rivers or ponds. Infection can happen without any noticeable break in the skin. Stick to chlorinated pools or the ocean instead of freshwater lakes and rivers.
• Tuberculosis (TB) – TB spreads through the air when someone with an active, contagious infection coughs, speaks or sings nearby. CDC lists it as a risk for travelers to Ghana, particularly those spending extended time in crowded indoor spaces or healthcare settings. Avoiding prolonged close contact with visibly sick people is the most practical precaution for short-term travelers.