HEALTH INFORMATION
FOR TRAVELERS TO PERU
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PREPARING FOR YOUR TRIP TO PERU
Before visiting Peru, you may need to get the following vaccinations and medications for vaccine-preventable diseases and other diseases you might be at risk for at your destination: (Note: Your doctor or health-care provider will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities).
To have the most benefit, see a health-care provider at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for your vaccines to take effect and to start taking medicine to prevent malaria, if you need it.
Even if you have less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see a health-care provider for needed vaccines, anti-malaria drugs and other medications and information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommends that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine. Find a Travel Clinic near you. If you have a medical condition, you should also share your travel plans with any doctors you are currently seeing for other medical reasons.
If your travel plans will take you to more than one country during a single trip, be sure to let your health-care provider know so that you can receive the appropriate vaccinations and information for all of your destinations. Long-term travelers, such as those who plan to work or study abroad, may also need additional vaccinations as required by their employer or school.
Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) are given at all stages of life; childhood and adolescent immunization schedule and the routine adult immunization schedule.
Routine vaccines are recommended even if you do not travel. Although childhood diseases, such as measles, rarely occur in the United States, they are still common in many parts of the world. A traveler who is not vaccinated would be at risk for infection.
RECOMMENDATIONS
According to the United States CDC, it is recommended for all travelers over 9 months of age going to the following areas <2,300 m in elevation: the entire regions of Amazonas, Loreto, Madre de Dios, San Martin, and Ucayali and designated areas (see Map 3-19) of the following regions: far northeastern Ancash; northern Apurimac; northern and northeastern Ayacucho; northern and eastern Cajamarca; northwestern, northern, and northeastern Cusco; far northern Huancavelica; northern, central, and eastern Huanuco; northern and eastern Junin; eastern La Libertad; central and eastern Pasco; eastern Piura; and northern Puno. Vaccination should be given 10 days before travel and at 10-year intervals if there is on-going risk.
YELLOW FEVER
Yellow fever is present in regions below 2,300 m (7,546 ft) in Peru, including parts of the Amazon Basin. While the risk is minimal with proper precautions, we recommend consulting your doctor about vaccination and mosquito bite prevention before your trip. Enjoy your adventure safely by staying informed and prepared.
RABIES
Rabies is extremely rare in Peru but may occur in certain rural areas or through contact with wild or domestic animals. While the risk is low, it’s always a good idea to take basic precautions, such as avoiding contact with animals you don’t know. If your travel plans involve activities like hiking or exploring remote regions, consult your doctor about whether a rabies vaccination is recommended. By staying informed and prepared, you can focus on enjoying your adventure safely.
MALARIA
Malaria is found in areas of Peru below 2,000 m (6,561 ft), including the cities of Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado, but it is not present in coastal cities such as Lima, Ica, and Nazca. If you are traveling to an area with malaria, consult your doctor about preventative measures, including medication and mosquito bite protection. With proper preparation, you can safely enjoy your visit to these incredible destinations.
MEDICINES YOU MAY NEED
- The prescription medicines you take every day. Make sure you have enough to last during your trip. Keep them in their original prescription bottles and always in your carry-on luggage. Be sure to follow security guidelines, if the medicines are liquids.
- Antimalarial drugs, if traveling to a malaria-risk area in Peru and prescribed by your doctor.
- Medicine for diarrhea, usually over-the-counter.
IMPORTANT
Some drugs available by prescription in the US are illegal in other countries. Check the US Department of State Consular Information Sheets for the country(s) you intend to visit or the embassy or consulate for that country(s). If your medication is not allowed in the country you will be visiting, ask your health-care provider to write a letter on office stationery stating the medication has been prescribed for you.
OTHER ITEMS YOU MAY NEED
- Iodine tablets and portable water filters to purify water if bottled water is not available. See A Guide to Water Filters, A Guide to Commercially-Bottled Water and Other Beverages, and Safe Food and Water for more detailed information.
- Sunblock and sunglasses for protection from harmful effects of UV sun rays. See Basic Information about Skin Cancer for more information.
- Antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
TO PREVENT INSECT/MOSQUITO BITES
- Lightweight long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and a hat to wear outside, whenever possible.
- Flying-insect spray to help clear rooms of mosquitoes. The product should contain a pyrethroid insecticide; these insecticides quickly kill flying insects, including mosquitoes.
- Bed nets treated with permethrin, if you will not be sleeping in an air-conditioned or well-screened room and will be in malaria-risk areas. For use and purchasing information, see Insecticide Treated Bed Nets on the CDC malaria site. Overseas, permethrin or another insecticide, deltamethrin, may be purchased to treat bed nets and clothes.
AFTER YOU RETURN HOME
If you are not feeling well, you should see your doctor and mention that you have recently traveled. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling. If you have visited a malaria-risk area, continue taking your antimalarial drug for 4 weeks (doxycycline or mefloquine) or seven days (atovaquone/proguanil) after leaving the risk area.
Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever or flu-like illness either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to 1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the physician your travel history.
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