People who are travelling outside the UK may need to be vaccinated against some of the serious diseases that are found in other parts of the world.
This topic provides information and advice about vaccinations against the following diseases:
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Cholera : a disease that causes diarrhoea and vomiting and is usually caught through infected water.
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Diphtheria : a bacterial infection that mainly affects the nose and throat.
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Hepatitis A : an infection that causes inflammation (swelling) of the liver.
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Hepatitis B : similar to hepatitis A, but caused by a different virus.
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Japanese encephalitis : a disease that is spread by mosquitoes. It is usually mild, but can develop into encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
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Meningococcal meningitis : an infection of the meninges (the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord).
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Poliomyelitis ( polio ): a highly infectious virus that can cause flu-like symptoms and is potentially fatal.
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Rabies : an infection of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) that is passed to humans through the bite of an infected animal.
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Tetanus : a severe but short-lived infection that is caused by bacteria.
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Tick-borne encephalitis : similar to Japanese encephalitis, but it is caught through the bite of an infected tick.
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Tuberculosis : a bacterial infection that affects the lungs.
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Typhoid fever : a potentially fatal bacterial infection that is caught through contaminated food or water.
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Yellow fever : a serious viral disease that is spread by mosquitoes.
Glossary
Bacteria
Bacteria are tiny, single-celled organisms that live in the body. Some can cause illness and disease and some are good for you.
Encephalitis
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain. This can develop as a result of infection (usually viral) or when the immune system attacks the tissue of the brain by mistake (post-infectious encephalitis).
Fever
A fever is when you have a high body temperature of 38C (100.4F) or over.
Inflammation
Inflammation is the body's response to infection, irritation or injury, which causes redness, swelling, pain and sometimes a feeling of heat in the affected area.
Vaccination
Vaccination or immunisation is usually given by an injection that makes the body's immune system produce antibodies that will fight off a virus.
Last updated: 15 February 2012
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