Egypt
Avoid dental treatment in Egypt as the standards of hygiene / sterilization cannot be guaranteed.
Supplies of medication are available in the larger cities
Blood supplies are considered safe and screened to international standards in the private hospitals. Avoid transfusions in the public sector
There are many Western-trained medical professionals in Egypt. The U.S. Embassy in Cairo can provide a list of local hospitals and English-speaking physicians. Medical facilities are adequate for non-emergency matters, particularly in the areas that most tourists visit. Emergency and intensive care facilities are, however, limited. Facilities outside Cairo fall short of Western standards. Most Nile cruise boats do not have a ship's doctor, but some employ a medical practitioner of uncertain training. Hospital facilities in Luxor and Aswan are inadequate, and are nonexistent at most other ports of call.
Recent medical and dental exams should ensure that the traveler is in good health. Carry appropriate health and accident insurance documents and copies of any important medical records. Bring an adequate supply of all prescription and other medications as well as any necessary personal hygiene items, including a spare pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses if necessary.
Drink only bottled beverages (including water) or beverages made with boiled water. Do not use ice cubes or eat raw seafood, rare meat or dairy products. Eat well-cooked foods while they are still hot and fruits that can be peeled without contamination. Avoid roadside stands and street vendors.
Swim only in well-maintained, chlorinated pools or ocean water known to be free from pollution; avoid freshwater lakes, streams and rivers. Wear clothing which reduces exposed skin and apply repellents containing DEET to remaining areas. Sleep in well-screened accommodations. Carry anti-diarrheal medication. Reduce problems related to sun exposure by using sunglasses, wide-brimmed hats, sunscreen lotions and lip protection.
AIDS occurs. Blood supply may not be adequately screened and/or single-use, disposable needles and syringes may be unavailable. When possible, travelers should defer medical treatment until reaching a facility where safety can be assured.
Sandstorms in the spring can make walking and driving hazardous. (One sandstorm, the "Khamsin," can raise the temperature 35 degrees in 2 hours, with winds up to 90 miles an hour.)
Constant dust and pollution bother the bronchial system. Those prone to respiratory disease, dust allergies and hay fever should be aware that this is a hazard.
Hepatitis A: Consider active immunization with hepatitis A vaccine or passive immunization with immune globulin (IG) for all susceptible travelers. Especially consider choosing active immunization for persons planning to reside for a long period or for persons who take frequent short-term trips to risk areas. The importance of protection against hepatitis A increases as length of stay increases. It is particularly important for persons who will be living in or visiting rural areas, eating or drinking in settings of poor or uncertain sanitation, or who will have close contact with local persons (especially young children) in settings with poor sanitary conditions.
Hepatitis B: Vaccination is advised for health care workers, persons anticipating direct contact with blood from or sexual contact with inhabitants, and persons planning extended stays of 6 months or greater (especially those who anticipate using local health care facilities, staying in rural areas, or having intimate contact with the local population).
Polio: A one-time booster dose is recommended for travelers who have previously completed a standard course of polio immunization. Refer to CDC guidelines for vaccinating unimmunized or incompletely immunized persons. Pregnancy is a relative contraindication to vaccination; however, if protection is needed, either IPV or OPV may be used, depending on preference and time available.
Rabies: Preexposure vaccination should be considered for persons staying longer than 30 days who are expected to be at risk to bites from domestic and/or wild animals (particularly dogs), or for persons engaged in high risk activities such as spelunking or animal handling. Need for vaccination is more important if potential exposure is in rural areas and if adequate postexposure care is not readily available.
Typhoid: Vaccination should be considered for persons staying longer than 3 weeks, adventurous eaters, and those who will venture off the usual tourist routes into small cities, villages and rural areas. Importance of vaccination increases as access to reasonable medical care becomes limited. Contraindications depend on vaccine type.
Note: All routine vaccines (such as DTP or Td, Hib, MMR, polio, varicella, influenza and pneumococcal) should be kept up-to-date as a matter of good health practice unrelated to travel.
Insect-borne illness: unlikely to be a major problem to the traveler; however, some do occur.
Dengue fever - occurs
Filariasis - occurs
Leishmaniasis - occurs
Malaria - occurs
Relapsing fever - occurs
Rift Valley fever - occurs
Sandfly fever - occurs
Typhus - occurs
Food-borne and water-borne illness: these are endemic. Dysenteries and other diarrheal diseases are common.
Brucellosis - common
Echinococcosis (hydatid disease) - occurs
Giardiasis - common
Helminthic (parasitic worm) infections - common
Hepatitis - common
Schistosomiasis - prevalent
Typhoid fever - common
Other hazards:
Diseases such as measles and diphtheria are commonly reported, and cases of polio still occur regularly.
Influenza risk extends from November to April.
Rabies - occurs
Trachoma - occurs
AIDS: According to the Department of State, testing is required for all foreigners staying in Egypt for more than 30 days and applicants for resident visas for work or study (spouses of Egyptian nationals are exempt). Foreign test results are accepted under certain conditions. Contact Egypt's embassy for details.
Cholera: None. (Contrary to its published requirements, the U.S. Embassy reports that Egypt may require cholera vaccination for travelers arriving from cholera-infected areas; however, this policy may not be consistently enforced.)
Yellow fever: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travelers over 1 year of age coming from infected areas. A certificate is required also from travelers arriving from or transiting the following countries:
Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan (south of 15 degrees north latitude), Togo, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zaire, Zambia.
America: Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela.
Air passengers in transit coming from these countries or areas without a certificate will be detained in the precincts of the airport until they resume their journey. (Egyptian authorities have been enforcing more strictly their regulations regarding yellow fever vaccinations for all passengers arriving from African destinations.)
All travelers from Sudan are required to possess either a vaccination certificate or a location certificate issued by a Sudanese official center stating that they have not been in that part of Sudan south of 15 degrees north latitude within the preceding 6 days. (Requirement in Practice for Travel from Sudan: According to information provided by the Egyptian Ministry of Health on January 24, 1990, yellow fever vaccinations are required for travelers from all areas of Sudan, with the exception of the city of Khartoum. If travelers have only been in Khartoum they need to present a certificate from the Khartoum airport quarantine office verifying that the traveler has not been outside of Khartoum.)
