Vaccination Requirements For Entry To Peru: What Travelers Need To Know

If you're planning a trip to Peru, it's important to consider the necessary immunizations to ensure a safe and healthy journey. The CDC, WHO, and other health organizations recommend several vaccinations for travellers to this South American country. These include vaccines for:

- Typhoid

- Hepatitis A

- Polio

- Yellow Fever

- Chikungunya

- Rabies

- Hepatitis B

- Influenza

- COVID-19

- Pneumonia

- Meningitis

- Chickenpox

- Shingles

- Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis)

- Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)

Some of these vaccines are routine and recommended for most travellers, while others depend on factors such as destination, activities, length of stay, and personal health conditions. It's always best to consult a healthcare professional for personalized advice and to ensure your routine vaccinations are up to date.

Hepatitis A, Typhoid, and Hepatitis B

While there are no specific vaccination requirements to enter Peru, there are several recommended immunizations to ensure a safe and healthy trip.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is a serious liver disease caused by consuming contaminated food and water. As the water in Peru is unsafe to drink, there is a high risk of getting infected. The hepatitis A vaccine is safe and effective protection against the virus, usually given in two shots for long-term prevention. In most cases, one dose of the vaccine taken any time before travel is enough, although two weeks before travel is ideal.

Typhoid

Typhoid is a bacterial infection that causes high fever, diarrhoea, and vomiting. It is spread by contaminated water and food, especially in areas with poor sanitation. The typhoid vaccine is recommended for all travelers to Peru, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas. There are two types of vaccines available: an oral vaccine that consists of four capsules (one taken every other day) or an injection administered a week before travel. Neither is 100% effective, typically protecting 50-80% of recipients.

Hepatitis B

The hepatitis B virus causes liver infection, spread by contact with infected bodily fluids. The vaccine is recommended for travelers who may be exposed to blood or body fluids, have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment. It is also recommended for children and those who plan to work in healthcare or dentistry. The vaccine is normally administered in three doses over six months, but quicker alternatives are available. A combined hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccine is also an option.

MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella)

The MMR vaccine is recommended for all children and protects against three serious illnesses: measles, mumps, and rubella. It is a two-part vaccination, with the first dose usually given around 12 to 15 months of age, and the second dose given around 3.5 to 4 years old. Adults who aren't immune and haven't been vaccinated should get two shots 28 days apart.

Measles, mumps, and rubella are viral diseases that can have severe complications. Measles, for example, can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), which may lead to seizures and brain damage. The mumps virus can spread to other tissues in the body, causing swollen ovaries or testicles, swelling in the brain or spinal cord (encephalitis or meningitis), and hearing loss. Rubella, also known as German measles, can cause serious problems during pregnancy, including miscarriage and congenital disorders such as heart problems, deafness, learning difficulties, and low birth weight.

When travelling to Peru, it is important to be up to date with your routine vaccinations, including MMR. Cases of measles are on the rise worldwide, and travellers are at risk if they have not been fully vaccinated at least two weeks before departure. All international travellers should be fully vaccinated against measles, according to the CDC's measles vaccination recommendations.

In addition to MMR, other recommended or required vaccinations for Peru include typhoid, hepatitis A, polio, yellow fever, chikungunya, rabies, hepatitis B, influenza, COVID-19, pneumonia, meningitis, chickenpox, shingles, and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis).

Rabies

The rabies virus is present on all continents except Antarctica. The World Health Organization (WHO) has determined three categories of exposure:

• Category I: Touching or feeding animals, animal licks on intact skin (no exposure)
• Category II: Nibbling of uncovered skin, minor scratches or abrasions without bleeding (exposure)
• Category III: Single or multiple transdermal bites or scratches, contamination of mucous membranes or broken skin with saliva from animal licks, exposures due to direct contact with bats (severe exposure)

The best way to protect yourself from rabies is to avoid touching or patting any mammals, including dogs, cats, and monkeys. Pre-exposure vaccination is recommended for high-risk groups, including animal handlers, veterinarians, naturalists, cave explorers, cyclists, and travellers to remote areas.

Pre-exposure rabies vaccinations are available in Australia and require three intramuscular doses: an initial dose, a second dose after seven days, and a third at 21 or 28 days. Both vaccinations are very effective at preventing rabies.

If you are travelling to a country where rabies is endemic and you think you may come into contact with infected animals, you may be recommended to receive a rabies vaccination before you travel as a preventative measure. Your doctor or travel health clinic will help you determine whether you should be vaccinated before your departure.

If you are exposed to an animal that may have rabies, prompt treatment is essential to ensure the virus does not progress to an infection. Treatment is given to all who have been bitten, not only if there is a suspicion that the animal has rabies.

If you have been potentially exposed to the rabies virus, there are several critical steps that must be taken:

• Cleanse the wound with soap and water as quickly as possible for 15-20 minutes.
• Apply iodine or alcohol to the wound if it is available. Do not bind the wound tightly; only cover it lightly with medical gauze or leave it exposed to air.
• Seek medical attention as quickly as possible. Do not wait to find out if the animal has rabies before seeking treatment, as this can take days. Also, do not wait until you return home.

Post-exposure treatment includes the delivery of a post-exposure vaccination and treatment with the blood product Human Rabies Immune Globulin (HRIG). This product can be very difficult to find, so patients may need to be flown to somewhere where it is available.

Those who have previously been vaccinated against rabies will still require post-exposure treatment, but only two doses of the vaccine are required over three days. Previously vaccinated individuals will also not require HRIG in the event of exposure. Those who have not been vaccinated will need four to five doses over 14 to 28 days, as well as HRIG.

Yellow Fever

The CDC recommends vaccination for all travellers aged 9 months and above going to areas with a risk of yellow fever transmission. This includes areas in Peru with an elevation of under 7500 ft (2300 m) in the regions of Amazonas, Loreto, Madre de Dios, San Martin and Ucayali, Puno, Cusco, Junín, Pasco, Huánuco, far north of Apurimac, far northern Huancavelica, far northeastern Ancash, eastern La Libertad, northern and eastern Cajamarca, northern and northeastern Ayacucho, and eastern Piura.

Malaria

In Peru, malaria is a risk in areas east of the Andes below 2,500 m (approx. 8,200 ft) in elevation. This includes all of the Amazon rainforest and a few isolated areas on the northern Pacific Coast. The regions of Loreto in the Amazon and Satipo Province (eastern Junin Region) are high-risk areas. In the Amazonas region and western Ayacucho, below 2,000 m, the risk is not high enough to warrant antimalarial tablets for most travellers. However, certain groups at higher risk may want to consider taking antimalarial tablets. These groups include those planning a longer stay in rural areas, those visiting friends or relatives, those with medical conditions, those with immunosuppression, and those without a spleen.

If you are travelling to a malaria-risk area, consult your doctor about antimalarial tablets. You should also take precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Cover up with clothing, use insect repellents on exposed skin, and sleep under a mosquito net if necessary.

If you have been travelling in a malarious area and develop a fever, seek medical attention promptly. Remember that malaria can develop even up to one year after exposure.

Frequently asked questions