Hepatitis A Vaccine
Initial shot and booster in 6 to 12 months likely gives lifelong immunity. Replaces gamma globulin. Strongly recommended for almost all travelers to undeveloped areas. Passive immunity. IM (deltoid) injections.

Typhoid Vaccine
Prevents typhoid fever, a food or water-born bacterial infection of digestive tract. Found worldwide. Live oral vaccine lasts 5 years. IM passive injection needs booster every 2 years.

Yellow Fever Vaccine
One SQ injection gives active immunity from this mosquito-carried disease for 10 years. Needed for sub-Saharan Africa and northern South America. Avoid during pregnancy, watch if over 65 years of age.

Meningococcal Vaccine
One SQ shot good for three years. Needed in sub-Saharan Africa “meningitis belt” (especially December through June dry season), Tanzania, Kenya, New Delhi, Nepal and pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia.

Hepatitis B Vaccine
Three IM shots: one immediately, one month and six months. Strongly recommended for intimate exposures, medical activities, stays of over 6 months, exposure to bodily fluids, sexual contact, etc. Probable lifetime passive immunity.

Tetanus/Diphtheria Vaccine (Td)
Primary series and booster every 10 years. IM killed shot. Prevents lockjaw.

Polio Vaccine
SQ inactivated shot. No risk of polio with shot. Oral vaccine unavailable.

Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine
SQ shot. Attenuated, live. Not needed if born before 1957. Avoid during pregnancy. Two doses are best.

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine
Three SQ inactivated shots on days 0, 7, 30. Then every 2-3 years. For rural travel/stays over 30 days in China, Korea, SE Asia. Carried by mosquitoes and pigs. More reactions than with other vaccines. Limited need.

Influenza Vaccine
A yearly IM shot. A good idea for travelers over 65 or ones with illnesses.

Pneumococcal (pneumonia) Vaccine
One killed SQ shot which covers 23 types of pneumonia. Recommended for immuno-compromised, a-splenic persons and those with pulmonary diseases.

Rabies Vaccine
Four IM shots days 0, 7, and 21 or 28 days. 2 year boosters. Consider for rural areas of Africa, Asia and South America where every village hut has a protective dog. Children are particularly at risk.

Cholera Vaccine
Not very effective. No longer recommended by CDC/WHO. 2 shots with 6-month boosters.