General Info:
The information that appears on this website should be used to obtain general information on health risks and to consult information before traveling.
This information does not substitute a medical consultation under any circumstances. Ideally, travelers should see their healthcare provider four to six weeks before their trip. At the pretravel consultation, health risks will be assessed individually, taking into account the destination, trip duration, travel purpose, age, personal medical history and medications taken by the traveler.
There are risks that are relevant to all travelers regardless of their destination. Examples include traffic accidents and other types of accidents, diseases transmitted by insects and/or ticks, diseases transmitted by contaminated food and water, sexually transmitted infections, or health problems related to hot or cold weather.
All travelers should ensure they have adequate travel health insurance.
Vaccinations:
Travelers must be up-to-date on their immunization schedule whether they are children or adults. For example, these vaccines include the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and the diphtheria, tetanus, and polio vaccine.
Some travelers may be at increased risk of contracting an infectious disease due to their age, job, lifestyle, or underlying diseases, so they should be up-to-date on additional recommended vaccines.
Required Vaccines
There is no risk of yellow fever transmission in the whole country. In accordance with international health regulations, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required ONLY for travelers aged over 9 months arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers who have transited for more than 12 hours through an airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), from July 11, 2016 (in all countries) the certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is valid for the life of the person vaccinated. Consequently, a valid certificate presented by travelers cannot be rejected on the grounds that more than 10 years have passed since the date on which the vaccination became effective (as stated on the certificate). Therefore, reinforcements or revaccinations cannot be required.
Recommended Vaccines
The vaccinations that appear in this section are recommended for some of the travelers that visit this country. Such vaccines should be evaluated during the personalized pretravel consultation.
- Tetanus-Diphtheria
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Typhoid Fever
- Rabies
Malaria:
There is low risk of malaria transmission in the country. Preventive treatment for malaria will be considered depending on the length of the trip and the time of year in which you travel. The treatment must be assessed and prescribed by a professional in pretravel consultation according to the characteristics of each person.
To prevent malaria, it is necessary to take into account the following:
- Cover areas of the body exposed to mosquitoes with long pants,
long-sleeved shirts, and socks. - Avoid wearing dark-colored clothing because they attract mosquitoes.
- Apply insect repellent to exposed areas of the skin. Use repellents with a concentration of at least 30% IR3535 to protect against malaria,
20% to 50% DEET, 20% Icaridine, and 30% PMD. - When staying in the risk area, always sleep under mosquito nets (preferably impregnated ones) or in air-conditioned rooms.
- REMEMBER: If you have a fever, headache and/or tiredness during the trip or on your return (even if you are taking antimalarial medication), you should see a doctor as soon as possible, particularly one specialized in Tropical Medicine and International Health to rule out malaria.
Other Risks:
Altitude Sickness
There are high-altitude points. It is possible to suffer from altitude sickness when ascending to heights above 2500m.
Arboviral Diseases
There is risk of Dengue transmission. Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes that bite during the daytime and are found in urban areas and it causes a flu-like illness. Cases of severe dengue fever are rare in travelers.
To avoid its transmission, it is necessary to avoid mosquito bites, since no medicines or vaccines are available. If you have a fever, headache and/or tiredness, you should see a doctor as soon as possible, particularly one specialized in Tropical Medicine and International Health to rule out malaria.
Problems Associated with Bathing in Fresh Water
There is risk of developing schistosomiasis in the rivers and lakes of Gabon. They harbor a parasite that can penetrate through healthy skin when we swim or put our feet or hands in fresh water. Before traveling, you should check if the water of the rivers and lakes of the country of destination has this parasite (bilharzia or Schistosoma).
There is no risk of schistosomiasis in salt water. However, risks such as bacterial infections or animal bites are present.