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Other vaccine preventable risks

The following vaccinations may be considered depending on your itinerary and planned activities. These can be discussed in more detail with one of our travel health consultants.  

Hepatitis B

Rabies

Malaria risk

Anti-malarial prophylaxis may be advised in the south-eastern areas including the Syria and Iraq borders, and in Amikova and Cukurova Plain where there is a substantial risk of Malaria .  There is no malaria risk in the remaining west and south-west of the country.

Non-vaccine preventable risks

• Travellers' Diarrhoea  is usually caused by eating contaminated food or drinking unsafe water.  Symptoms may be severe with frequent watery stools, thirst, dry mouth and tongue, headache and weakness. Water should always be treated when there is doubt about its cleanliness. Food that may be contaminated must be thoroughly cooked and hands washed prior to eating.

• HIV infection is spread through sexual intercourse or infected blood or blood products (e.g. through blood transfusions or the use of blood contaminated instruments such as intravenous needles). 

• Leishmaniasis is spread through the bite of an infected sand fly. It can cause a slowly growing skin lump or ulcer and sometimes a serious life-threatening fever with anaemia and weight loss. Infected dogs are carriers of the infection. Sand fly bites should be avoided whenever possible. 

• Leptospirosis is spread through the faeces of infected rodents especially rats. It is unusual for travellers to be affected unless living in poor sanitary conditions.

• Tick typhus has occasionally been found in Turkey and is spread by tick bites.  Symptoms may include a fever & generalised rash.

• Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever is spread through infected ticks from animal hosts such as sheep, cattle and goats.  Symptoms may include fever, generalised aches and rash.  There is no vaccine available and risk to travellers is minimised by using insect repellents on the skin and clothing, to avoid tick bites where possible particularly during the summer periods where they are most active.