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THE AMERICAN CENTER OF ORIENTAL RESEARCH |
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| Jordan Information: Health |
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THE AMERICAN CENTER OF ORIENTAL RESEARCH |
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| Jordan Information: Health |
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Health Notes: Immunization and Insects IMMUNIZATIONS The American Embassy in Amman recommends the following immunizations for travel to Jordan. Record of immunizations should be listed in the "yellow book" to accompany your passport. You should also list your blood type in case of emergency. Please check with your physician for his/her recommendations regarding these immunizations, before coming to Amman. Immunizations can usually be obtained in Amman, if you have difficulty obtaining before arriving. Typhoid - required every three years. Tetanus Diphtheria - required every ten years. Poliomyelitis. Hepatitis A. Hepatitis B (now on recommended list for all Americans). Meningitis - recommended every three years. Malaria - no malaria in Amman, occasionally present in the Jordan Valley. There is no immunization for malaria. Prophylactic treatment (Chloroquine or Primaquine, etc) is available, but recommendations vary from various medical sources. Contact your health services provider. Cholera - not required. Rabies: There is a preventative rabies series avaialble for those who expect to handle animals or be in contact with animals. INSECTS AND SNAKES Poisonous Bites - any bite which provokes an unusual reaction (excessive swelling, soreness, redness, etc.) should be looked at by a doctor. Scorpions - Yellow scorpions have the highest toxicity, followed by black. Light and dark brown scorpions are usually not poisonous. Centipedes - can cause severe local and sometimes general symptoms, but are rarely fatal. The centipede locally known as the "Forty-four," yellowish-tan, approximately 8 inches long) is the most common poisonous type. Spiders - Black Widow. The large "camel spiders" are not poisonous, but can inflict a bite. The brown recluse can cause damage. Ticks themselves are not poisonous but carry endemic and Mediterranean tick typhus. Ticks are associated with rodents, small mammals, cave dung, as well as other sources. Wasps - The big brown and yellow "cow-kiler" wasps will cause an immediate reaction even in those not normally allergic to bee stings. Local first-aid clinics will usually have anti-venom shots available. If you are allergic to bee stings, you should carry your "kit" with you at all times. Snakes - Jordan has many snakes - some of which are not fully known or classified by biologists. Always assume it is poisonous. Local first-aid clinics may or may not have anti-venom shots available. Copyright © 2000 American Center of
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