Question Regarding Immunizations for Baltics Cruise

[katiebeth]

We are scheduled to sail on the Constellation on June 30th on a Baltics cruise.

When we got the shore excursion information from Celebrity there was a warning regarding diptheria in Russia. How are others handling this? Are you getting any special immunizations? My mother talked to her doctor (they are traveling with us) and was told that the diptheria vaccine is normally included with the shot for tetanus.

 

Also, I have read that Russia is on the verge of an epidemic of a strain of T.B. that does not respond to any type of medicine.

 

Any advise would be greatly appreciated. I posted on the Celebrity board because it is much more active than the Baltic ports of call board.

 

Also, do you have any concerns regarding eating in any of the countries included on the Baltics itinerary? We are traveling with our children ages 11 and 13 and my parents who are in their late seventies and want to be cautious. We love to experience the food of the countries we are visiting, but want to do so in a careful manner

 

Thank you,

Nancy

[Druke I]

We've been into the Baltic twice, most recently 8-05, and there were no innoculation requirements at that time.

 

I recently had my tetanus updated, and was not aware that that shot included protection against diptheria.

 

Reference TB, there are several new strains which do not respond to the traditional treatments.

 

We ate in the Scandinavia ports and Germany without reservation, but did not try anything in Russia.

[dbh62ark]

I would discuss this with your doctor. My husband and I travel to Europe every year so have had some shots that are not required by are recommended. The hepatitis series of two (I think it's hep B) shots come to mind, but there are some others. However, only your doctor can recommend what is best for an individual person.

 

Donna

[kitty9]

Yes, there are new strains of drug-resistant TB in many areas of the world, but you really need not to worry. If you stay in the tourist areas, wash your hands frequently and exercise the usual precautions, you'll be fine. I just read that those TB cases are in the very rural areas in Siberia. I would highly recommend getting Hep A and B vaccines. No matter where you travel, those two are of the greatest benefit.

[mcnyc]

We took this cruise last summer, and we did get our tetanus/diptheria shot from our doctor. We didn't need any other shot, but if you are in the touristy areas of Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg), you should be relatively fine as long as all your shots are updated.

 

We also ate at most of the Scandinavian countries without hesitation on our own. With Russia, our meals were included in our shore excursions through Celebrity, and the food was quite excellent. In Tallin, we had time to go back to the ship for lunch, so we did.

 

Enjoy your cruise. I loved the itinerary and was in fact "homesick" for the Constellation when the Infinity had a Russia sale midway through the cruise.

[travelingmcmahans]

When my husband and I went on a Baltic cruise we went ahead and got the tetanus/diptheria -- we figured it couldn't hurt and we probably needed tetanus boosters anyway.

I'll warn you though, I was *sore* the next day! Couldn't raise my arm over my head. :eek:

[BurBunny]

Best sources to consult are your doctor (if he/she is "up" on travel medicine), a local travel clinic in your community (many cities have them) and the Centers for Disease Control website at http://www.cdc.gov/travel.

[DallasTX]

Best bet is to check with your doctor, but we are going in June and did get the shots. Your kids should already be protected I think, from childhood immunizations, but again check with your doc.

[ggprincess2004]

Check with the regional medical center's travel specialists. My dad, the doc, said we could skip diptheria but recommended in favor of Hep B. His reasoning was that we were not venturing into the "interior" of Russia - just hitting St. P, so he didn't think there would be a benefit. But - check with your own doctor who knows your own med situation much better.:)

[Leela]

I agree with the advice -- make sure your regular tetnaus shot is up to date (many people forget to boost it after they get out of college, or after their kids are grown), especially since it can be given in combination with the diptheria. I personally would not be concerned about the TB unless I was going to work with a lot of locals like at a school or in a nursing home.

 

One more word about the hepetitius: if you travel a lot -- heck, after the hep problems in the USA last year, if you eat out a lot at home -- it's totally worth it to get the hep A+B shot. Its a series of three shots that gives you 10 years of protection, and you only need to get the first two shots before you leave on your trip. I've since gone to a variety of places (Burma, Cambodia, rural China, Sri Lanka) and having had these innoculations gives me peace of mind. Especially when I started reading about cases of hep A at places normal suburban restaurants like Chi Chi's in the US!

 

The doctor at the travel clinic I go to said that the hep A+B shot is now being offered to infants in the USA, along with all the usual stuff like measles, mumps, etc.

[dilacruiser]

Hepatitis B is a 3 shot series that gives you life long protection. Hepatitis B is blood borne, so could be a concern if you require emergency medical treatment in certain countries. Hepatitis A is a 2 shot series that also gives you life long protection. Hepatitis A is food and water borne, so it is more likely that it could be contracted.

Check with a travel medicine clinic or check the CDC web site under travel destinations for what is recommended for your trip. Many family physicians do not keep up to date on travel medicine.