Holidaymakers' guide to vaccines around the world

Travel experts from MyBaggage.com have reminded Brits’ to check their recommended immunisations are up to date before jetting off around the world in search of sun this summer.

The team have also revealed what is required where for British travellers to avoid a ruined holiday and potentially major health scares.

Mosquito-borne malaria is probably the most infamous tropical disease, but the risk to holidaymakers extends far beyond equatorial countries in Africa, to typical hotspots such as Greece.

The travel specialists have also highlighted that immunisation against Hepatitis A is highly recommend for UK travellers in popular holiday destinations including Turkey, Mexico, Morocco and Tunisia.

It’s also advisable in growing destinations such as Romania, Costa Rica, Cambodia, South Africa and Cape Verde, as well as the British Overseas Territories of Saint Helena and Ascension Island.

A city break to Moscow, Kiev or the Latvian capital of Riga, meanwhile, should begin with checking diphtheria vaccinations are up to date, whilst holidaymakers in Israel should make sure they’re protected against polio.

Yellow fever vaccinations are mandatory across Africa and advisable before visiting equatorial countries in Latin America.

Other infections that vaccines are recommended for include typhoid, with Brits taking a trip to South Asia at particular risk.

For illnesses not on the list, such as cholera, rabies, tuberculosis, meningitis, Japanese encephalitis and tick-borne encephalitis, immunisation is sometimes recommended when visiting a range of countries across the globe.

This can depend on factors including the age of the traveller, other countries visited and the length, purpose or circumstances of the stay.

A spokesperson for My Baggage said: “A holiday should be all about letting your hair down and having fun, but it’s impossible to relax if you’re at risk of a dangerous disease.

“Tourists might expect to need specific vaccines if they’re venturing into the middle of the rainforest, but protection against some tropical infections can also be required in more common destinations for family getaways.

“From Greece, Turkey and Morocco to Mexico, Brazil and Israel, illness like malaria, yellow fever and polio don’t discriminate.

“To help Brits stay safe abroad this summer, we’ve highlighted where immunity against some dangerous diseases is highly recommended.”

Here is the MyBaggage.com guide to UK travellers’ immunisation requirements for six diseases around the world:

1. Malaria

High risk: Angola, Benin, Bolivia (north), Botswana (north), Brazil (Amazon), Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia (north east), Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia (east and coast), Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, DR Congo, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea (lowlands), Ethiopia (lowlands), Eswatini (east), French Guiana (south), Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, India (east, Assam and Mangalore), Indonesia (south and east of Sulawesi), Ivory Coast, Kenya (lowlands), Laos (south), Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania (south), Mayotte, Mozambique, Myanmar (north west and Thai border), Niger, Nigeria, Panama (Darien), Papua New Guinea (lowlands), Peru (Loreto), Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan (south), Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Venezuela (south of Orinoco), Zambia, Zimbabwe (lowlands and Zambezi valley).

Risk: Afghanistan (lowlands), Algeria (south), Bangladesh (south east), Belize, Bhutan, Brunei, Cape Verde (summer), China (Yunan), Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Greece (Eurotas delta), Guatemala (lowlands), Haiti, Honduras, Iran, North Korea (south), South Korea (north), Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak), Mexico (rural south), Namibia (north east), Nepal, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa (north east), Suriname, Thailand, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen.

2. Yellow Fever

Mandatory: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, French Guiana, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Togo, Uganda.

Recommended in: Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Guinea, Guyana, Kenya, Mauritania, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Suriname, Venezuela.

3. Typhoid

Recommended in: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan.

4. Diphtheria

Recommended in: Angola, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Greenland, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Ukraine, Vietnam, Yemen.

5. Polio

Recommended in: Afghanistan, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, DR Congo, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Syria.

6. Hepatitis A

Recommended in: Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Djibouti, DR Congo, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Saint Helena & Ascension, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.