Vaccination and Health Risks

Your doctor can give you important advice and prescribe vaccines and medications to help you stay safe while traveling abroad. The following are vaccinations and medications you and your physician may wish to consider before travel to Pakistan.

To have the most benefit, see a doctor at least 4-6 weeks before your trip to allow time for your vaccines to take effect. If you are leaving sooner, it is still important to see a doctor as soon as possible for vaccines, medications and information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.
Your doctor will make specific recommendations, depending on your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, planned activities and other factors. If your travel plans will take you to more than one country during a single trip, be sure to let your health-care provider know. Long-term travelers, such as those who plan to work or study abroad, may also need additional vaccinations as required by their employer or school.
If you have a chronic medical condition, share your travel plans with any doctors who are currently treating you.

Vaccine or Disease	Risk	Vaccination or Treatment Recommendations
Routine		Recommended if you are not up-to-date with routine shots such as, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, etc.
Hepatitis A		Recommended
Hepatitis B		Recommended, especially for those who might be exposed to blood or body fluids, have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment (e.g., for an accident).
Japanese Encephalitis		Recommended for some travelers - please consult your physician directly. Cases have been reported near Karachi, as well as other areas of Pakistan. The CDC suspects the transmission season runs primarily from June to January.
Malaria		Present in all areas (including all cities) <2,500 m (<8,202 ft). Recommended: atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline, or mefloquine. Drug resistance: Chloroquine.
Meningococcal Meningitis		Not endemic
Polio		Recommended. You may need a polio vaccine before your trip to Pakistan. If you were vaccinated against polio as a child but have never had a polio booster dose as an adult, you should get this booster dose. Adults need only one polio booster dose in their lives (unless you are fulfilling the country requirement listed below). If you were not completely vaccinated as a child or do not know your vaccination status, talk to your doctor about getting vaccinated. Country exit requirement: If you will be in Pakistan for more than 4 weeks, the government of Pakistan may require you to show proof of polio vaccination when you are exiting the country. To meet this requirement, you should receive a polio vaccine between 4 weeks and 12 months before the date you are leaving Pakistan. Talk to your doctor about whether this requirement applies to you.
Rabies		Recommended for travelers spending a lot of time outdoors, especially in rural areas, involved in activities such as bicycling, camping, or hiking. Also recommended for travelers with significant occupational risks, such as veterinarians, for long-term travelers and expatriates living in areas with a significant risk of exposure, and for travelers involved in any activities that might bring them into direct contact with bats. Children are considered at higher risk because they tend to play with animals, may receive more severe bites, or may not report bites.
Typhoid		Recommended
Yellow Fever		Proof of yellow fever vaccination required if traveling from any country with risk of yellow fever transmission and at least 1 year of age, including transit at least 12 hours in an airport located in a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.

Resource Links

This document is not a complete medical guide for travelers to this region. Conditions change over time and the recommendations for various countries at the time you travel may differ from the recommendations listed here. Consult with your doctor or visit the CDC website for specific information related to your needs and your medical history; recommendations may differ for pregnant women, young children, and persons who have chronic medical conditions.

Be sure to read the information about all the regions you are planning to visit.