Indonesia : Travel Health

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

Researching Travel Plans

Please note that this health information about Indonesia may be out-of-date.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 Indonesia

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

• travelers’ diarrhea
• cholera
• malaria
• Escherichia coli diarrhea
• hepatitis A
• schistosomiasis - found in fresh water
• typhoid fever
• Insect born diseases
• parasitic diseases
• Dengue fever
• filariasis
• Japanese encephalitis
• plague - risk for travelers is small
• toxoplasmosis
• HIV
• AIDS
• hepatitis B
• amebiasis
• diptheria - endemic to the region
• Tuberculosis
• chickungunya

More Common Diseases and Medical Concerns for Indonesia

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

• motor vehicle trauma - wear seatbelts and avoid night driving
• diseases resulting from monkey bites e.g. rabies and Herpes B
• respiratory condtions including asthma
• bronchitis and allergies may be exacerbated by air pollution

Epidemics for Indonesia

The following health concerns, diseases or comments are related to epidemics in Indonesia:

• avian influenza A ( H5N1 ) poultry late 2003
• 2004
• Dengue fever

Vaccinations for Travel to Indonesia

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

• 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
• Japanese encephalitis only if you plan to visit rural areas for 4 weeks or more, except under special circumstances, such as a known outbreak of Japanese encephalitis
• rabies - if you might be exposed to wild or domestic animals through your work or recreation
• typhoid
• tetanus - booster dose as needed, diphtheria - booster dose as needed, measles - booster dose as needed

Preventions or Health Precautions for Travel to Indonesia

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

• Take your malaria prevention medication before, during, and after travel, as directed
• 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
• to prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot
• 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, and cats), to avoid bites and serious diseases (including rabies and plague - risk for travelers is small)
• don’t swim in fresh water. Salt water is usually safer
• avoid crowded public places and public transportation whenever possible
• Earthquakes may occur - take care and heed local precautions
• volcanoes may occur - take care and heed local precautions
• scuba diving, snorkeling and surfing accidents are common - take care when participating in these activities

Other Relevant Issues for Travel to Indonesia

The following may be issues relevant to travel to Indonesia:

• adequate medical care is available in Jakarta and Bali at internationally staffed clinics
• medical care is substandard throughout the rest of the country
• there may be consular warnings against travel to the country
• check latest advice for updates