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Bahrain,
Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Israel,
Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian
Arab Republic, Turkey, United
Arab Emirates, Yemen
The preventive measures you
need to take while traveling
in the Middle East depend
on the areas you visit and
the length of time you stay.
You should observe the precautions
listed in this document in
most areas of this region.
However, in highly developed
areas of Israel, you should
observe health precautions
similar to those that would
apply while traveling in the
United States.
Travelers’ diarrhea, the number
one illness in travelers,
can be caused by viruses,
bacteria, or parasites, which
can contaminate food or water.
Infections may cause diarrhea
and vomiting (E. coli, Salmonella,
cholera, and parasites), fever
(typhoid fever and toxoplasmosis),
or liver damage (hepatitis).
Make sure your food and drinking
water are safe.
Malaria is a preventable infection
that can be fatal if left
untreated. Prevent infection
by taking prescription antimalarial
drugs and protecting yourself
against mosquito bites. Travelers
to some areas of Iran, Iraq,
Oman, Saudi Arabia, the Syrian
Arab Republic, Turkey, the
United Arab Emirates, and
Yemen may be at risk for malaria.
There is no risk of malaria
in Bahrain, Cyprus, Israel,
Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, and
Qatar. For additional information
on malaria risk and prevention,
see Malaria Information for
Travelers to the Middle East.
Dengue, filariasis, leishmaniasis,
onchocerciasis, and plague
are diseases carried by insects
that also occur in this region.
Protecting yourself against
insect bites will help to
prevent these diseases.
There is no risk for yellow
fever in the Middle East.
A certificate of yellow fever
vaccination may be required
for entry into certain of
these countries if you are
coming from countries in South
America or sub-Saharan Africa.
For detailed information,
see Comprehensive Yellow Fever
Vaccination Requirements.
CDC recommends the following
vaccines (as appropriate for
age):
See your doctor at least 4–6
weeks before your trip to
allow time for shots to take
effect.
- Hepatitis
A or immune globulin (IG).
- Hepatitis
B, if you might be exposed
to blood (for example, health-care
workers), have sexual contact
with the local population,
stay longer than 6 months,
or be exposed through medical
treatment.
- Meningococcal
vaccine is required for
pilgrims to Mecca for the
annual Hajj. However, CDC
currently recommends the
vaccine for all travelers
to Mecca, including those
traveling for the Umra.
(For more information, please
see Meningococcal Disease
Among Travelers to Saudi
Arabia.)
- Rabies,
if you might be exposed
to wild or domestic animals
through your work or recreation.
- Typhoid,
particularly if you are
visiting developing countries
in this region.
- As
needed, booster doses for
tetanus-diphtheria and measles,
and a one-time dose of polio
for adults. Hepatitis B
vaccine is now recommended
for all infants and for
children ages 11–12 years
who have not completed the
series.
All travelers should take
the following precautions,
no matter the destination:
- Wash
hands often with soap and
water.
- Because
motor vehicle crashes are
a leading cause of injury
among travelers, walk and
drive defensively. Avoid
travel at night if possible
and always use seat belts.
- Always
use latex condoms to reduce
the risk of HIV and other
sexually transmitted diseases.
- Don’t
eat or drink dairy products
unless you know they have
been pasteurized.
- Don’t
share needles with anyone.
- Eat
only thoroughly cooked food
or fruits and vegetables
you have peeled yourself.
Remember: boil it, cook
it, peel it, or forget it.
Never eat undercooked ground
beef and poultry, raw eggs,
and unpasteurized dairy
products. Raw shellfish
is particularly dangerous
to persons who have liver
disease or compromised immune
systems.
Travelers visiting undeveloped
areas should take the following
precautions:
To stay healthy, do...
- Drink
only bottled or boiled water,
or carbonated (bubbly) drinks
in cans or bottles. Avoid
tap water, fountain drinks,
and ice cubes. If this is
not possible, make water
safer by BOTH filtering
through an “absolute 1-micron
or less” filter AND adding
iodine tablets to the filtered
water. “Absolute 1-micron
filters” are found in camping/outdoor
supply stores.
- If
you visit an area where
there is risk for malaria,
take your malaria prevention
medication before, during,
and after travel, as directed.
(See your doctor for a prescription.)
- Protect
yourself from insects by
remaining in well-screened
areas, using repellents
(applied sparingly at 4-hour
intervals), and wearing
long-sleeved shirts and
long pants from dusk through
dawn.
- To
prevent fungal and parasitic
infections, keep feet clean
and dry, and do not go barefoot.
To avoid getting sick...
- Don’t
eat food purchased from
street vendors.
- Don’t
drink beverages with ice.
- Don’t
share needles with anyone.
- Don’t
handle animals (especially
monkeys, dogs, and cats),
to avoid bites and serious
diseases (including rabies
and plague).
What you need to bring
with you:
- Long-sleeved
shirt and long pants to
wear while outside whenever
possible, to prevent illnesses
carried by insects.
- Insect
repellent containing DEET
(diethylmethyltoluamide),
in 30%–35% strength for
adults and 6%–10% for children,
as well as a bed net impregnated
with the insecticide permethrin.
(Bed nets can be purchased
in camping or military supply
stores.)
- Over-the-counter
antidiarrheal medicine to
take if you have diarrhea.
- Iodine
tablets and portable water
filters to purify water
if bottled water is not
available.
- Sunblock,
sunglasses, hat.
- Prescription
medications: make sure you
have enough to last during
your trip, as well as a
copy of the prescription(s).
After you return home:
If you have visited a malaria-risk
area, continue taking your
antimalarial drug for 4 weeks
(Lariam®, doxycycline)
or seven days (Malarone™)
after leaving the risk area.
Travelers who become ill with
a fever or flu-like illness
while traveling in a malaria-risk
area and up to one year after
returning home should seek
prompt medical attention and
should tell the physician
their travel history.
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