Travel Vaccines and Advice for Tanzania

• Typhoid – Salmonella Typhi causes typhoid, a severe infection transmitted via contaminated food and water. Vaccination is recommended for travelers and those with elevated infection risks. Practicing proper hygiene and safe food handling can also reduce the likelihood of contracting typhoid.
• Cholera – Cholera is a bacterial infection caused by Vibrio cholerae, typically spread through contaminated water, leading to severe diarrhea and dehydration. The cholera vaccine, administered orally, effectively prevents this infection. It’s recommended for travelers to areas with high cholera incidence and during outbreaks.
• Hepatitis A – Hepatitis A is an infectious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus, often spread through contaminated food or water, or via direct contact with someone infected. It leads to liver inflammation, potentially impairing its function, and manifests as symptoms like tiredness, stomach pain, nausea, and yellowing of the skin or eyes. The vaccine for hepatitis A offers robust protection against this virus. It is typically given in two doses over a six-month period and is advised for those traveling to regions with higher risk or for people more likely to come into contact with the virus.
• Yellow Fever – Yellow fever, caused by the yellow fever virus and primarily spread by infected mosquitoes, can be effectively prevented with vaccination. The yellow fever vaccine, with its long-lasting immunity, is essential for travelers to endemic areas and residents in regions where the disease is prevalent.
• Chikungunya – Chikungunya, carried by Aedes mosquitoes, can be prevented through use of repellents, netting and vaccination.
• Rabies – Preventing rabies involves avoiding contact with infected animals and ensuring timely vaccination. The rabies vaccine is a critical tool, offering protection through post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and preemptive vaccination for high-risk individuals like travelers.
• Hepatitis B – Hepatitis B, a liver infection spread through bodily fluids, poses a significant health risk. Safe practices help, but vaccination is the ultimate safeguard. It prompts the immune system to produce antibodies, ensuring strong and persistent protection.
• 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.

Malaria is present in all regions of Tanzania under 5,900 feet elevation. Travelers are advised to take antimalarials no matter their destination or itinerary in the country. Malaria in Tanzania is chloroquine resistant, be sure to speak with a travel health specialist on which antimalarial is best for your trip.

Mosquitoes are a risk throughout much of Tanzania. Climbers on the upper stretches of Kilimanjaro face less exposure than travelers on the plains below. Ticks and tsetse flies add smaller risks, including African tick-bite fever and, less commonly, sleeping sickness.

Mosquitoes that carry malaria are common from dusk to dawn.

• Wear long sleeves and long pants once the sun starts to set, even in warm coastal areas.
• Apply a DEET, picaridin or IR3535 repellent to any skin left uncovered.
• Treat safari clothing and gear with permethrin ahead of your trip.
• Sleep under a mosquito net or in a room with intact window screens and air conditioning.
• Check for ticks after walking safaris or bush hikes, pull off any you find right away with tweezers.

None of these steps replace antimalarial medication. A Passport Health travel specialist can match a prescription to your itinerary, since the right drug depends on where you’re headed and how long you’re staying.

Travelers’ diarrhea is common among travelers to Tanzania. Typhoid and hepatitis A are also present.

Bottled or sealed water is the safest option everywhere, from Dar es Salaam to a Serengeti camp. Skip ice unless you can confirm it was made from treated water and use bottled water for brushing your teeth.

The same caution applies to meals. Cooked food served hot is a safer bet than anything that’s been sitting at room temperature. Fruits or vegetables are only as safe as your ability to peel or wash them yourself. Street food and buffet spreads carry the highest risk of the two.

Vaccination covers what good habits can’t. The hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines protect against two of the most common causes of travel illness here.

Altitude sickness, or acute mountain sickness (AMS), results from oxygen deprivation at high altitudes, leading to symptoms like headaches and nausea. Prevent AMS by ascending slowly, staying hydrated, and considering medication. If symptoms worsen, descend immediately to lower altitudes and seek medical assistance.

• African Sleeping Sickness – Spread through tsetse fly bites, mostly in game parks and bush areas like the Serengeti. Cases in travelers are rare but can be serious. Tsetse flies are drawn to dark clothing. Light-colored, tightly woven fabric on safari cuts your risk.
• African Tick-Bite Fever – A bacterial infection spread by tick bites, common in game reserves and bush walks. Symptoms include fever, headache and a dark scab at the bite site. Check your skin and clothing for ticks after every outdoor excursion.
• Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever – Spread by tick bites or contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person or animal. Rare in travelers but can be severe. Avoid contact with livestock blood and tissue, particularly in rural farming areas.
• Dengue – Transmitted by daytime-biting mosquitoes and reported across Tanzania, including Zanzibar and coastal cities. No vaccine is available to most travelers, use daytime repellent and cover skin.
• Hantavirus – Spread by breathing in dust or eating food contaminated with rodent droppings, urine or saliva. Risk rises in rural lodges and storage areas with rodent activity. Keep food sealed and avoid disturbing rodent nests or droppings.
• Leptospirosis – A bacterial infection picked up from water or soil contaminated with animal urine including floodwater and river mud. Rainy-season travel raises exposure. Avoid wading through freshwater or floodwater without protective footwear.
• Rift Valley Fever – Spread through mosquito bites or contact with the blood, fluids or tissue of infected livestock. Farming areas and livestock markets carry the highest exposure. Avoid handling raw meat or livestock, especially during a reported outbreak.
• Schistosomiasis – A parasite that enters through skin exposed to contaminated freshwater lakes, rivers or ponds. Lake Victoria and other inland freshwater sources carry documented risk. Skip freshwater swimming and wading, even where the water looks clean.
• Tuberculosis (TB) – Spread through the air when someone with active TB coughs, speaks, or sings nearby. Long stays in crowded indoor settings raise exposure. Extended-stay travelers and healthcare volunteers face the highest risk.