Healthy Preparation for Travel Abroad

Healthy Preparation for Travel/Study Abroad

When you schedule your travel appointment, please fill out the TRAVEL DETAILS ATTACHMENT (CLICK HERE). This will assist both you and your nurse regarding details about your upcoming travel. This MUST be either faxed to the Student Health Center at 573-884-8902 or emailed to immunizations@health.missouri.edu at least 24 hours prior to your travel appointment. If this is not received, your travel appointment may have to be rescheduled. Also, please bring your immunization record with you to your appointment.

Please Note: There is a $10 administrative charge for travel visits. This is not covered by the pre-paid health fee.

Travel education, immunizations, medications, and physicals are offered to MU students planning to travel abroad. Emphasis is placed on prevention of illness and safety during travel. Timely, detailed, country-specific information regarding requirements and recommendations are provided. Students should plan to see the Travel Medicine Nurse at least one to six months prior to departure. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention ) website also has some great tips for traveling or studying abroad. Click Here and learn more!

Before a travel abroad experience, every MU student should consider having a general physical done by their primary care provider. Physicals can be obtained free of charge at Student Health Center if a student has the pre-paid health fee. This is especially important for those that have a chronic health condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, or problems with their immune system.

Students should make sure that all of their routine immunizations are up to date. The Travel Medicine Nurse can assist by reviewing records at the Student Health Center. Other vaccinations, medications and precautions specific to each student’s destination will be discussed at this visit; focusing on issues such as malaria, traveler’s diarrhea, food and water precautions, insect/animal avoidance techniques and personal medical history.

Prior to an appointment, each student should attempt to locate their childhood and adult immunization records focusing on the dates of the following:

Td (Tetanus/Diphtheria) - within the past 5-10 years (see http://www.immunize.org/vis/td2.pdf)
Tdap VIS http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/VIS/vis-tdap.pdf
* Not sure if you need Td or Tdap? CLICK HERE to download a Word document explaining the differences between the two.
MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) - 2 doses within a person's lifetime (see http://www.immunize.org/vis/mmr03.pdf)
Polio - completion of primary series as a child (may need a booster depending on travel destination) (see http://www.immunize.org/vis/ipv-00.pdf)
Hepatitis B - recommended for every college student (see http://www.immunize.org/vis/hepb01.pdf)
Hepatitis A - recommended for every college student traveling outside of the U.S. (see http://www.immunize.org/vis/v-hepa.pdf)
Meningococcal Meningitis - especially for those living in a dormitory setting (see http://www.immunize.org/vis/menin00.pdf )
Chickenpox - know your level of immunity protection either by disease, blood test or vaccine (see http://www.immunize.org/vis/varic99.pdf)
Pneumococcal - for those with certain chronic health conditions (see http://www.immunize.org/vis/pneum3.pdf)
Influenza - every year for those traveling during Flu season (see http://www.immunize.org/vis/2flu.pdf)
Tuberculosis (TB) skin test - before departure and have it repeated 8-10 weeks upon return (if traveling to a country with a high rate of TB)

     Below is a list of travel-specific vaccinations that may be recommended and/or required based upon the students’ destination:
      - Japanese Encephalitis
      - Rabies
      - Typhoid
      - Yellow Fever (see http://www.immunize.org/vis/index.htm#yellowfever)

     Some ideas on how to locate immunization records:
      - Parents
      - High school or previous college attended
      - Family physician or pediatrician
      - Health Department or clinic where vaccinated

To make an appointment at Student Health Center for a physical, please call 573-882-7481. To schedule an appointment for a travel medicine visit, please call 573-882-4661.

See the following websites for travel recommendations and for non-MU students to locate a travel medicine provider: