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Destination Health Precautions For North Africa 
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Algeria,
Canary Islands (Spain), Egypt, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco (including
Western Sahara), Tunisia
Food and waterborne diseases are the number one cause of illness in
travelers. Travelers’ diarrhea can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or
parasites, which are found throughout the region and can contaminate
food or water. Infections may cause diarrhea and vomiting (E. coli,
Salmonella, cholera, and parasites), fever (typhoid fever and toxoplasmosis),
or liver damage (hepatitis). Make sure your food and drinking water
are safe.
Malaria is a preventable infection that can be fatal if left untreated.
Prevent infection by taking prescription antimalarial drugs and protecting
yourself against mosquito bites (see below). Travelers to North Africa
should take chloroquine as their antimalarial drug. A limited risk of
malaria exists in parts of Algeria, Egypt, and Morocco. For detailed
information on malaria-risk areas and antimalarial drugs, see Malaria
Information for Travelers to North Africa.
Dengue, filariasis, leishmaniasis, and onchocerciasis are diseases carried
by insects that also occur in this region. Protecting yourself against
insect bites will help to prevent these diseases.
Schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection, is found in fresh water in the
region, including the Nile River. Do not swim in fresh water (except
in well-chlorinated swimming pools) in these countries.
Because motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury among travelers,
walk and drive defensively. Avoid nighttime travel if possible and always
use seat belts.
There is no risk for yellow fever in North Africa. A certificate of
yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain of these
countries if you are coming from countries in South America or sub-Saharan
Africa.
CDC recommends the following vaccines (as appropriate for age):
See your doctor at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for
shots to take effect.
- Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG).
- Hepatitis B if you might be exposed to blood (for example, health-care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, stay longer than 6 months in the region, or be exposed through medical treatment.
- Rabies, if you might be exposed to wild or domestic animals through your work or recreation.
- Typhoid, particularly if you are visiting developing countries in this region.
- As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria, measles, and a one-time dose of polio vaccine for adults. Hepatitis B vaccine is now recommended for all infants and for children ages 11–12 years who did not complete the series as infants.
All travelers should take the following precautions, no matter the
destination:
- Wash hands often with soap and water.
- Because motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury among travelers, walk and drive defensively. Avoid travel at night if possible and always use seat belts.
- Always use latex condoms to reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
- Don’t eat or drink dairy products unless you know they have been pasteurized.
- Don’t share needles with anyone.
- Eat only thoroughly cooked food or fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself. Remember: boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it. Never eat undercooked ground beef and poultry, raw eggs, and unpasteurized dairy products. Raw shellfish is particularly dangerous to persons who have liver disease or compromised immune systems.
Travelers visiting undeveloped areas should take the following precautions:
To stay healthy, do...
- Drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. If this is not possible, make water safer by BOTH filtering through an “absolute 1-micron or less” filter AND adding iodine tablets to the filtered water. “Absolute 1-micron filters” are found in camping/outdoor supply stores.
- If you visit an area where there is risk for malaria, take your malaria prevention medication before, during, and after travel, as directed. (See your doctor for a prescription.)
- Protect yourself from insects by remaining in well-screened areas, using repellents (applied sparingly at 4-hour intervals), and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants from dusk through dawn.
- To prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot. To avoid getting sick...
- Don’t eat food purchased from street vendors.
- Don’t drink beverages with ice.
- Don’t share needles with anyone.
- Don’t handle animals (especially monkeys, dogs, and cats), to avoid bites and serious diseases (including rabies and plague).
What you need to bring with you:
- Long-sleeved shirt and long pants to wear while outside whenever possible, to prevent illnesses carried by insects.
- Insect repellent containing DEET (diethylmethyltoluamide), in 30%–35% strength for adults and 6%–10% for children, as well as a bed net impregnated with the insecticide permethrin. (Bed nets can be purchased in camping or military supply stores.)
- Over-the-counter antidiarrheal medicine to take if you have diarrhea.
- Iodine tablets and portable water filters to purify water if bottled water is not available.
- Sunblock, sunglasses, hat.
- Prescription medications: make sure you have enough to last during your trip, as well as a copy of the prescription(s).
After you return home:
If you have visited a malaria-risk area, continue taking your antimalarial
drug for 4 weeks (Lariam®, doxycycline) or seven days (Malarone™)
after leaving the risk area. Travelers who become ill with a fever or
flu-like illness while traveling in a malaria-risk area and up to one
year after returning home should seek prompt medical attention and should
tell the physician their travel history.
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