vaccinations before traveling to Peru

You may need certain vaccinations before traveling to Peru, on the following cases:

• Routine: it is recommended to be up-to-date in routine shots.

• Hepatitis A: you may be exposed through contaminated food or water. 

• It is rather common in Peru, compared to developed countries.

• Hepatitis B: you may be exposed through blood, body fluids or sexual contact with ill people, even if they seem healthy.

• Typhoid: also, through contaminated food or water, but happens less frequently.

• Yellow fever: highly recommended if traveling to jungle areas (especially if going to any area in Madre de Dios, San Martín, Loreto, Amazonas, and Ucayali). You could be requested to show a vaccination certificate upon arrival to Puerto Maldonado. In 2007 there were 22 deaths caused by yellow fever in the entire country.

• You should receive the yellow fever shot 10 days prior your arrival to Peru. For most persons and most destinations, a Yellow Fever Vaccination certificate is now valid for life.

• If you did not take it in your country, you may have the shot at the Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima (as of February 2016, the clinic is open 24/7 and the shot costs about 80 soles), the Dos de Mayo Hospital, and most private hospitals or laboratory such as Lab Roe for an approximate cost of 20 USD.

• Malaria: currently, there is no available vaccine for this illness, but you should consider receiving prophylaxis, in addition to standard measures of precaution such as using insect repellent, using bed nets while you sleep and wearing long-sleeved pants and shirts. This preventative measures will also help in avoiding getting dengue fever (there is no prophylaxis or vaccination for dengue fever, also known as break bone fever). Many travelers to Peru will not need malaria pills.

 A consultation with a travel medicine specialist is always recommended before your trip. They can also organize pills for gastroenteritis, altitude sickness etc. For more information