Vaccinations/Poland

I'm not a doctor, I've visited Krakow without those shots, and didn't catch either disease. I suspect 99% of all tourists that visit the city don't get the shots either. I say don't worry about it.

Thanks, Michael. I'm inclined to agree, but just wanted to check and get feedback (in case it was a bigger deal than I thought). Thanks!

We have been there 3 times in the last 4 years, and didn't have any problems.

Unless you plan on sharing dirty heroin needles or having unprotected sex with hookers in Krakow, I wouldn't worry about Hep B. Your chances of getting Hep A are probably a little higher in Poland than in the US, but still not very high.

I wouldn't worry about typhoid fever either unless you spend most of your time on a farm.

I know that both hepatitis A and typhoid can be transmitted by contaminated food and water. So at least keep your hands washed and don't eat at places that look too adventurous. I wonder if the tap water is considered OK in Poland?

I drank the tap water and it was fine.

When my husband and I were getting vaccinated for our trip to Peru, the travel doctor at Northwestern Memorial Hospital made the comment that anyone who eats out (whether it is in another country or the place down the street from your home) should get a Hepatitis A vaccine.

For some reason that comment stuck with me, so I thought I would throw it out there.

Tap water from a municipal source in Poland is as safe as anywhere else in Europe.

I don't plan to drink the water in Poland. From all I've read, their main problem is contamnination from chemical pollutants, not organisms. I'm a tap water person, but there I plan to lug around bottled water.
Never read or heard anything to make me consider vacanations, tho. Have fun and don't drink the water!

I say better safe than sorry later.

I had the combined shots and felt is was the right idea just for piece of mind.

Meant peace of mind, not piece of mind! oops.

We were in Poland for 17 days in 2004 with no shots. While there, we drank lots of tap water, ate at several hole-in-the-wall restaurants, drank milk right out of a cow, ate strawberries that we picked right off the bush without washing them, ate fresh picked cherries without washing them, and ate non-pasteurized cheese. We not only lived to tell the tale; we felt energized and healthy the whole while.

I would advise making an appointment at the local travel health department. My local travel health office said not to worry about Eastern Europe, at the time I think I asked about Czech Republic.

Hep B is an STD, placing you under full control of whether you will be exposed. Hep A is caught though contaminated food and water. It's a serious illness, you might want to get the shot for peace of mind depending upon what the doctor says. I think to protect against Typhoid it's not a vaccination but rather pills.

Bottled water will not keep you safe unless you are prepared to also brush your teeth with bottled water for an entire trip.

I hope you don't mind me "hijacking" this thread. But I'm so excited I found this thread. I was JUST reading about this in my Let's Go book today and was going to ask myself. But in addition to the shots you asked about above, it says that you should have "up to date" DTap, MMR, rabies (!?!??!!?) and polio. Are the shots we had as kids still good for these or do they mean that you might want to get new ones? And who the hell gets a shot for RABIES? Does everyone's advice above also apply to other Eastern European countries like Slovenia, Croatia, Czech, Hungary? Assuming of course, like Jae, that you're going to be in the major cities...

I'll be visiting Krakow in September and recently asked my doc about vaccinations. He commented that drug companies are doing a good job with marketing to make people scared that they are going to get sick wherever they go. According to him, as long as I stay in the cities and am not planning on being in any off the beaten track places I should be fine just getting a tetanus booster.

Just so we're not adding to the confusion, the CDC does not list any health alerts for drinking tap water in Poland. And not that anecdotal reports count for anything, but in 3 trips, I've never had problems with the water there.

"DTap, MMR, rabies (!?!??!!?) and polio. Are the shots we had as kids still good for these or do they mean that you might want to get new ones? And who the hell gets a shot for RABIES?" A tetanus booster is a good idea if you haven't had the shot since childhood. There is also some evidence, but no consensus yet, that getting a pertussis booster also is a good idea. Although not a dangerous disease for adults, the illness can last several weeks. No need for a diptheria, measles, mumps, rubella and polio booster. And rabies? Only veterinarians usually get that, so as long as you don't pet any dogs with foaming mouths, or do a lot of spelunking, you should be fine.

"as long as you don't pet any dogs with foaming mouths, or do a lot of spelunking"
Funny! I think the bigger cities in Poland are more modern than people realize.

I was in Poland a several years back, 2005 in Torun (Thorn) and 2003 in Gdansk (Danzig), absolutely no problems but no drinking tap water either, except for brushing one's teeth with it, and following regular, normal common sense behaviour. I would drink tap water in Germany in hotels and Pensionen but not in eastern Europe.

Order bottled water in a restaurant in Germany!

To respond to the original question: I'm Polish and I visit Poland every summer, and I will bet you my pierogi that you will never get Hepatitis A & B or Typhoid while in vacation in Poland. Getting the vaccination is completely unnecessary. Don't be afraid of Poland, it is not some sort of backwater place, and contrary to popular belief, you can drink the tap water.

Why drink tap water? Poland makes the best Vodka in the world - in fact it may be smoother than tap water. Our favorite was Wyborova (maybe not exactly the right spelling, first syllable is pronounced Vee).