The following article is for information purposes only and is not meant to substitute medical advice.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends visiting your doctor 4-6 weeks before the planned trip to allow time for vaccinations. Some vaccines are given over several weeks and others take weeks to become effective in your body.
There are three types of vaccinations - routine, recommended and required.
Routine
Adults and especially children need to have their current vaccinations updated. These vaccinations will protect against certain diseases that may be rare in the United States, but still prevalent in other parts of the world.
Recommended
Your doctor may recommend the following vaccinations before traveling to Central America.
- Hepatitis A - Transmitted via direct person-to-person contact, contaminated water and ice, uncooked fruits and vegetables and other foods.
- Hepatitis B - Transmitted via blood and body fluids.
- Malaria - Transmitted by an infected mosquito, malaria is a very grave disease, sometimes resulting in death. Travelers to malaria-risk areas will need to take this fact seriously and speak to their doctor about precautions. There are preventative antimalarial drugs visitors can take 3-4 weeks before traveling, but only your doctor can tell you what is best. The CDC offers the following information about Central American countries: Belize: All areas have risk, except Belize City. Costa Rica: Risk in Alajuela, Guanacaste, Heredia and Limón provinces. No risk in Limón city (Puerto Limon). El Salvador: Rural departments of Ahuachapán, La Unión and Santa Ana. Guatemala: Rural areas at altitudes lower than 1,500 meters (4,921 feet). No risk in Antigua or Lake Atitlán. Honduras: Rural areas only, including resort areas of Roatán and other Bay Islands. Nicaragua: Risk in rural areas only and in the outskirts of Managua. Panama: Risk in rural areas of Bocas del Toro, Darién, and San Blas.
- Rabies - Transmitted via animal bites.
- Typhoid - Transmitted via contaminated water and food.
- Yellow Fever - Transmitted via an infected mosquito. Doctors may suggest this vaccine for travelers to Panama.
Required
According to the CDC, there are no required vaccinations for travel to Central America. However, the visitor still needs to proceed with caution.
