Travel Vaccines and Advice for Mexico

• Typhoid – Typhoid is transmitted via fecally contaminated food or water, causing severe symptoms. To prevent it, practice hand-washing, consume safe water and food, and consider vaccination, especially when traveling to high-risk areas.
• Hepatitis A – Hepatitis A spreads through contaminated food, water, and close contact. Protect yourself by getting vaccinated with the hepatitis A vaccine and maintaining proper hygiene. Vaccination is a critical step in preventing this contagious liver infection, according to health authorities.
• Chikungunya – Chikungunya, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, leads to fever and joint pain. Preventive measures like using repellent and wearing protective clothing are vital. Vaccination is considered the best form of protection.
• 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 – The hepatitis B vaccine is a vital tool in the prevention of this liver infection, recommended for all travelers and essential for healthcare workers and those at higher risk of exposure.
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) – Measles, mumps, and rubella are infectious diseases that can easily spread. Vaccination remains the primary defense against these threats. The MMR vaccine, with its two-dose regimen, is a reliable way to bolster immunity and reduce the risk of infection and outbreaks.

Mosquitoes in Mexico carry several diseases, including dengue and Zika. Avoiding bites is your best protection. Use an EPA-registered repellent with DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 and reapply it throughout the day. Permethrin-treated clothing adds another layer if you’ll be outdoors for extended periods.

If your trip includes southern Mexico, malaria is a real concern. The CDC lists Campeche, Chiapas, and the southern part of Chihuahua state as active transmission areas, with lower risk in Oaxaca, Sinaloa, Sonora, and Tabasco. A Passport Health travel specialist can help you decide whether preventive medication makes sense for your itinerary.

Rural travel adds two more bugs to watch for: the triatomine, or “kissing bug,” and the sand fly. A permethrin-treated bed net is the most effective way to guard against both, especially in rustic or outdoor sleeping arrangements.

Per the CDC, travelers’ diarrhea is the food- and waterborne illness you’re most likely to run into in Mexico.

Stick to bottled or purified water for drinking and brushing your teeth, and skip ice unless you know it’s made from purified water. Freshwater lakes, rivers, and floodwater can carry the bacteria behind leptospirosis. Avoid wading or swimming in them after heavy rain, and cover any open cuts before you’re near mud or standing water.

Cook meat and eggs thoroughly, choose pasteurized dairy, and wash or peel raw produce yourself rather than trusting it’s already been done. Street food isn’t off-limits — choose stalls with visible turnover and food cooked fresh in front of you rather than food that’s been sitting out.

These habits lower your risk, but they don’t replace vaccination. A Passport Health travel specialist can confirm you’re up to date on hepatitis A and typhoid before your trip, especially if your itinerary includes rural areas or staying with friends or relatives.

Altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), arises at high elevations due to decreased oxygen levels. To prevent AMS, ascend gradually, stay hydrated, and consider medications like acetazolamide. If symptoms like headaches or fatigue develop, descend to lower altitudes for rest and recovery, seeking medical help if necessary.

• Chagas Disease – Spread by the triatomine, or “kissing bug,” which bites at night and leaves behind waste that can carry the parasite into the bite, your eyes, or your mouth while you sleep. It’s most often reported in rural and semi-rural parts of Mexico. Sleep under a permethrin-treated bed net when staying in rustic housing.
• Dengue – A mosquito-borne virus with no vaccine or specific treatment, dengue is present throughout Mexico, including popular coastal destinations. Cases tend to rise during and after the rainy season, roughly June through October. Repellent and long sleeves during the day, when dengue-carrying mosquitoes are most active, are your best defense.
• Hantavirus – This virus spreads through breathing in dust contaminated with the urine or droppings of infected rodents, or less commonly through a rodent bite. Rural cabins, sheds, and other spaces with rodent activity carry the highest risk.
• Leishmaniasis – Spread by sand fly bites, leishmaniasis is present in rural and forested parts of Mexico and can cause skin sores or more serious internal illness. Sand flies are smaller than mosquitoes and can pass through wider mesh netting. Use a fine-mesh net and repellent in wooded or rural areas.
• Leptospirosis – A bacterial infection spread through contact with water or soil contaminated by animal urine, most often after flooding. Travelers who wade, swim, or work in freshwater following heavy rain face higher risk. Avoid contact with floodwater, and cover any open cuts before going near freshwater sources.
• Melioidosis – This bacterial infection spreads through contact with contaminated soil, mud, or water, particularly after heavy rain or severe weather. It can also spread by breathing in contaminated dust or water droplets. Bandage any open wounds before contact with soil or standing water, especially after storms.
• Tuberculosis (TB) – Spread through the air when someone with active TB coughs, speaks, or sings nearby, TB risk rises with prolonged close contact with local populations. Casual contact on a short trip carries low risk. Avoid prolonged close contact with anyone showing symptoms of active illness.
• Zika – Spread primarily by mosquito bite, Zika can also pass from a pregnant traveler to their developing baby, causing serious birth defects. Pregnant travelers, or those who may become pregnant, should reconsider travel to Mexico and take strict precautions against bug bites if travel is unavoidable.