Immunizations

You don't need proof, but if you are traveling in areas infested by ticks you should check yourselves every time you have walked where they hang out so that you can take appropriate action to prevent Lyme Disease. You can't get immunization for Lyme Disease but you can deal with the little critters appropriately.

Nigel has raised a good point. In addition to Lyme Disease, Tick-Borne Encephalitis is also a concern in many countries in western Europe. Those who are planning on spending a lot of time in outdoor areas (hiking, camping, etc.), should contact a Travel Medicine specialist or family Doctor on whether vaccinations might be warranted. Risk is highest from March to November, and this is a concern even in Switzerland. Packing some DEET along could also be considered.

No, you don't.

No, you don't.

Rhoda, While you may not have to show proof of immunizations for travel in Western Europe, it's still a good idea to consider this in your trip planning. It's prudent to have all routine vaccinations up-to-date such as Tetanus, and I believe that Hep. A & B are also a good idea for travellers. If visiting less developed countries, something like Dukoral might be necessary. You may find it helpful to have a look at information on the topic from the Centre for Disease Control website (I used Italy for an example). You could also have a look at the IAMAT website (I used France for an example). I always visit the local Travel Medicine Clinic about a month or so prior to trips, just to make sure that everything is current and to determine if anything "special" will be required for the destinations I'll be visiting. This year I opted for the Td-IPV vaccine, as it's been about 10-years since I last had a Tetanus booster. Happy travels!

Ken makes an excellent point about checking with your physician, or even better, a travel medicine specialist, well ahead of your departure. Different diseases can break out at different times and you are wise to verify your vaccination status. Witness the current pertussis epidemic right here in Washington! My husband got re-vaccinated for measles because it is more common in Europe, and apparently the shots we got as kids were not totally effective. Note that no vaccinations are REQUIRED to travel to Europe, unlike the yellow fever vaccine requirements to enter some African countries, for example.

The tick borne encephalitis vaccine is only recommended for a few isolated, rural areas of Scandinavia. If you plan to do some hiking or plan to be around farm animals, insect repellent is recommended. Outside of certain occupational risks, there are no current vaccination recommendations for US-Canadian travelers going to Western Europe, other than keeping current your routine shots.

Nigel's right for sending out the warning. I got Lyme Disease hiking in the woods in Burgundy last summer. Never saw the tick, never knew there was Lyme Disease in Europe, didn't check myself. If you get a bull's eye rash around what you think was an unusual bite, see the doctor for the antibiotics. BTW, only 50% of people get the telltale rash.

As an Irish citizen who travels to Europe several times a year I can tell you ....No, not at all.... Happy travels..

@Tom, One of the sources I checked was the IAMAT website, which stated that Tick Borne Encephalitis can be a problem in rural areas even in Germany and Switzerland. I've linked the Germany page, which lists the affected parts of the country at the bottom of the page. You may also be interested to have a look at the Public Health Canada website. Further down on the page it states "Countries recently reporting higher incidence of TBE include; Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland." For those hiking or camping in wooded areas, this may still be something to consider. The Travel Medicine Physician mentioned it in my consultation, but since I'll mostly be in urban areas neither of us felt it would be a problem in my case. The vaccine is expensive (series of three shots) so I didn't want to go that route unless absolutely needed. Cheers!