Abkhazia Institute for Social and Economic Research

Yellow fever vaccination

This is mandatory vaccination and is a requirement for entry into the countries concerned. Travelers should be warned that the requirement for vaccination against yellow fever is not related to the risk of exposure to the disease. The countries that require proof of vaccination are those where the disease does not occur but where the mosquito vector and non-human primate hosts of yellow fever are present. During war in Abkhazia many of primates escaped from their primary enclosure- SUKHUMI PRIMATE INSTITUTE OF EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY AND THERAPY (In 1992, before war, Institute  housed approximately 5,000 primates numbering almost 20 species.) In 1993 Institute was evacuated by great effort of Dr. Lapin in small Town Adler next to Georgian-Russian Boarder, but large number of escaped monkeys  (about 100) tolerated in wild environment and can carry numbers of infectious diseases, yellow fever among them.  Consequently, any importation of the virus by an infected traveler could result in its establishment and propagation in the local mosquitoes and primates, leading to a risk of infection for the human population. Proof of vaccination is required for all travelers coming from countries where yellow fever occurs, including transit through such countries. The international yellow fever vaccination certificate becomes valid 10 days after vaccination and remains valid for a period of 10 years. The fact that a country has no mandatory requirement for vaccination does not imply that there is no risk of yellow fever infection. In accordance with the International Health Regulations, countries are required to notify all cases of yellow fever to WHO. Such countries are then considered to be "infected areas". This terminology is likely to change in the revised version of the Regulations, but is meantime retained in the following country list to maintain consistency with the official reports provided by the WHO Member States. The list of infected areas is published in the Weekly epidemiological record. In addition, countries are considered to be "endemic areas" for yellow fever if the virus is present in mosquitoes and non-human primates and where there is therefore a potential risk of infection for humans. Please note that the requirements for vaccination of infants over 6 months of age by some countries is not in accordance with WHO’s recommendations. Travelers should however be informed that the requirement exists for entry into the countries concerned.
Routine vaccination. It is recommended that all travelers are fully vaccinated with the appropriate routine vaccines; schedules for booster doses should be followed at the recommended time intervals.
Cholera. No country requires a certificate of vaccination against cholera as a condition for entry. The Abkhazia’s (Break-away province of Georgia) current health system, however, remains woefully inadequate and every year challenged by the cholera outbreak.
Smallpox. Since the global eradication of smallpox was certified in 1980, WHO does not recommend smallpox vaccination for travelers.
Hepatitis A. Vaccination against hepatitis A is recommended for all travelers to developing countries and to countries with economies in transition. The Hepatitis A outbreaks in Abkhazia are not surprising. We recommend peeling and washing  fruits and vegetables produce thoroughly which  does help to reduce any possible contamination.
Malaria. Protective measures against mosquito bites are described in Chapter 3 of WHO recommendations. Specific information for each country is provided in this section, including epidemiological details for all countries with malarious areas (geographical and seasonal distribution, altitude, predominant species, and reported resistance). The recommended prevention is also indicated. The recommended prevention for each country is decided on the basis of the following factors: the risk of contracting malaria; the prevailing species of malaria parasites in the area; the level and spread of drug resistance reported from the country; and the possible risk of serious side-effects resulting from the use of the various prophylactic drugs. Where P. falciparum and P. vivax both occur, prevention of falciparum malaria takes priority.