Hepatitis A/B Vaccine Required?

[T.M.]

Hello,

We are planning a trip to Dubai for a possible future relocation. Our Canadian Dr. has advised that we should have the Hep A/B combo vaccine before travel as the Middle East is a high-risk area. I am unable to receive the vaccine as I am currently nursing my infant and it is not advisable to get the vaccine during nursing.

Does anyone have any further info to offer? Is Dubai itself a high-risk area?

Thank you,

T.M.

[expatmich]

Hi TM, I live in Abu Dhabi. I have not had a hep shot at all. I know they run immunization programs here in the UAE so when you get here, after you're done breastfeeding, you could get the shots here in the UAE through your health care office that you would go to. I don't know of anyone here who has had hepatitis but that doesn't mean it isn't out there. We just haven't bothered. We have been living abroad for the last 13 years, in Hong Kong (6 yrs), Turkey (5 yrs) and now UAE (for the last two years) and we've been fine. I wouldn't worry too much about it......

Expatmich

[Amanda]

Despite the advice you received in the first answer to your post, you definitely SHOULD have the Hepatitis A and B vaccines if you are planning to live in the UAE- a short trip will not be risky, but there is a serious problem with the illness here.

The reality is that the disease is a chronic infection, and if B doesn't kill you, you will be very ill for a long time. Why take the risk? The injections are a little costly, but you will protect yourself in a region where the problem is particularly acute. Any doctor or travel clinic will be able to protect you with three injections of Twinrix.

The advice that the previous poster shared was not responsible- it allowed you to assume that she was informed. Not knowing anyone who is sick should not motivate him/her to pass on advice on matters of health- well intentioned or not.

[expatmich]

I think my intentions and wording have been misunderstood. I said: "I know they run immunization programs here in the UAE so when you get here, [u]after you're done breastfeeding, you could get the shots here in the UAE [/u]through your health care office that you would go to. I don't know of anyone here who has had hepatitis but that doesn't mean it isn't out there."

The reader was asking what our experience was in the UAE, and that is my experience. I did not suggest to not get the shots at all. I said I didn't get them, and I didn't know anyone here, in the two years I've been here to come down with Hep, despite not being vaccinated. Every person makes that decision on her own. I suggested that after breastfeeding she should check it out here with their health care person. I wasn't giving advice as I'm not a health care professional. If you have health care experience in the UAE then this information is valuable, and the reader would be encouraged to seek further advice from her doctor, especially given that she's pregnant. I think when we criticize someone as being irresponsible for sharing their Experience and their Opinion when someone asks an open forum question, we're not being fair.