Immunisations for South America

It all depends on where you are going and what you are going to do. You have already had the three basic ones you will need. Your doctor's advice is more reliable than strangers on a forum. But tetanus and rabies should not be necessary unless you are going to be trekking in very remote areas by yourself where medical attention could be very far away. Malaria if you are also going deep into jungle or taking a slow boat down the Amazon. Bolivia asks for the yellow fever cert, Argentina recommends it for Iguazú falls. Chile does not require anything and hepatitis would be the only concern, although it isn't common. I don't know about Ecuador and Colombia. If it would set your mind at ease, your own health service should have information on what is needed. In the USA this would be http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel// Reply to this

Luke what activities do you plan to do in South America, i.e any mountain climbing or trekking or Amazon trips etc?

I'm surprised the doctor didn't put you on the Hep A+B Twinrix vaccine, that's the most common one for travelers these days. Hep B is passed via bodily fluids so it's kind of like an STD, but it's also passed on through blood transfusions and open wounds which is why it is now mandatory for healthcare workers to get the vaccine in Oz.

Did you get an International Certificate for your yellow fever jab? Make sure you get one if you didn't, because you'll need it to enter some countries - including Bolivia, and possibly also to re-enter Australia if you're coming home direct from a YF-endemic country.

When was the last time you had a tetanus injection? I cut myself all the time so I've had 3 vaccines in my lifetime, and they're usually good for about 10 years after you've had the jab. It might be worth getting if you've never had one. Rabies usually isn't recommended unless you're planning to work closely with animals.. just avoid patting any weird-looking dogs.. (Cujo anyone?)

Then there's the malaria pill decision, but since I'm still unclear about this one I won't comment on it 😊 Reply to this

Good for you then. 😊 Reply to this