Greenland : Travel Health

WARNING! This information is out-dated and likely to be inaccurate!

Researching Travel Plans

Please note that this health information about Greenland may be out-of-date. Always research the current health conditions and issues in any region you plan to visit prior to departure.

Infectious Diseases and Medical Concerns for Greenland

The following medical diseases or health concerns are more common in travel to Greenland (compared to the USA and other areas of the Western World):

• travelers' diarrhea
• cholera
• Escherichia coli diarrhea
• hepatitis A
• typhoid fever
• Insect born diseases
• parasitic diseases
• plague - risk for travelers is small
• toxoplasmosis
• hepatitis B
• Lyme disease

More Common Diseases and Medical Concerns for Greenland

The following health concerns or diseases are more commonly found in Greenland compared to the USA and other areas of the Western World:

• motor vehicle trauma - wear seatbelts and avoid night driving
• frostbite
• hypothermia

Uncommon or Rare Diseases and Medical Concerns for Greenland

These medical diseases or health concerns are uncommon or rare in Greenland:

• yellow fever - no risk although vaccination certificate may be required if coming from an infected area
• malaria - no current risk

Vaccinations for Travel to Greenland

The following medical vaccinations are desirable or helpful for travel to Greenland to prevent contagious diseases in Greenland:

• hepatitis A - or immune globulin (IG)
• hepatitis B - If you might be exposed to blood (for example, health-care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, stay longer than 6 months, or be exposed through medical treatment.
• tetanus - booster does as needed
• diphtheria - booster does as needed

Preventions or Health Precautions for Travel to Greenland

Any health risk of travel to Greenland may be reduced by the following precautionary health measures when visiting Greenland:

• Never eat undercooked ground beef and poultry, raw eggs, and unpasteurized dairy products - risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease [nvCJD]
• high rate of motor vehicle trauma - avoid night driving and wear seatbelts
• mosquito bite prevention
• insect bite protection
• avoid drinking non-treated water - only drink bottled or canned water
• eat only thoroughly cooked food or fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself
• keep feet clean and dry - help prevent parasitic infections
• do not go barefoot - help prevent parasitic infections
• always use latex condoms to reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases
• don't eat food purchased from street vendors
• don't drink beverages with ice
• don't share needles with anyone
• don't handle animals (especially monkeys/dogs/cats) - to avoid bites and serious diseases (including rabies and plague - risk for travelers is small)
• use sunblock and take sunglasses and a hat
• extreme cold can cause frostbite and hypothermia - be sure to wear adequate clothing

Other Relevant Issues for Travel to Greenland

The following may be issues relevant to travel to Greenland:

• medical care is limited

Rate This Website

What do you think about the features of this website? Take our user survey and have your say:

Website User Survey

Medical Tools & Articles:

Tools & Services:

• Bookmark this page
• Symptom Search
• Symptom Checker
• Medical Dictionary
• Give your feedback

Medical Articles:

• Disease & Treatments Search
• Misdiagnosis Center
• Full list of interesting articles

Forums & Message Boards

• Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
• I cannot get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for my condition?
• See all the Boards.

Enter your search terms Submit search form
Search The Web Search wrongdiagnosis.com

Common Health Mistakes

Symptom
Checker

Search Specialists by State and City