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Information Sheet Last Updated: June 2004
Medical Information
Most travelers to Brazil return home after experiencing a great vacation. Some will experience traveler’s diarrhea. If you do need to seek medical attention, there are English speaking doctors in most major cities who have particular experience in dealing with locally occurring diseases. Your embassy representative will often be able to give you the name of local reputable doctors and most of the better hotels have a doctor on standby. If you cannot find a recommended doctor, another option is to try the Outpatient Department of a hospital. Private hospitals are usually less crowded and offer a more acceptable standard of care to foreigners.
Before you leave it is highly recommended that you take out medical insurance and be sure that any medical insurance you have will cover evacuation to your home country be a medically equipped plane, if necessary. You should have a dental check up, spare glasses prescription or contacts, spare oral contraceptive prescription or enough to last the duration of the trip, and if you suffer from a chronic illness be sure to get a check up with your doctor. If you get a check up with your doctor, make sure he/she provides you with a letter explaining the details of your condition in English and if possible Spanish and/or Portuguese.
Even though a cholera vaccination is not necessary for international travel according to the World Health Organization, some immigration officials are demanding proof of vaccination against cholera in Brazil and other countries in Latin America following the outbreak of the disease originating in Peru in 1990. Vaccination against yellow fever, typhoid, poliomyelitis, tetanus, infectious hepatitis, meningitis, and rabies are recommended.
Be aware of uncooked, under cooked and raw meat, vegetables and fruit. Always peal your own fruit and wash and dry your hands prior to each meal.
