Turkey Travel Vaccinations

Are you planning a trip to Turkey? If you’re going on a city break in Istanbul, planning to relax on the Mediterranean coast, explore Cappadocia, or anything else, it's a good idea to check your vaccinations before you leave.

Here, we cover the travel vaccines recommended for Turkey, which additional vaccinations may be worth considering, malaria advice, and other health risks to keep in mind during your trip.

The vaccinations you may need for Turkey can vary according to your individual plans. Things to consider include:

• How long you'll be staying
• Which parts of Turkey you'll be visiting
• Whether you're staying mainly in hotels or travelling more widely
• Activities such as hiking, cycling, or spending time in rural areas
• Whether you'll be visiting friends or relatives
• Your existing vaccination history

The guidance below provides a useful starting point before your travel-health appointment.

• Routine UK vaccinations – Check that you're up to date with vaccinations and boosters routinely offered in the UK. Your travel-health appointment is also an opportunity to review vaccines such as MMR and diphtheria, tetanus, and polio. Measles transmission in Turkey is currently considered higher than in the UK, making it particularly important to ensure your MMR vaccination is up to date.

• Hepatitis A – Hepatitis A can spread through contaminated food and water, or through direct contact with an infected person. Vaccination is recommended for all previously unvaccinated travellers visiting Turkey.
• Tetanus – Tetanus bacteria are found in soil and manure and can enter the body through cuts, burns, or other wounds. Travellers should have completed the standard UK vaccination course. A booster may be recommended if your last dose was more than 10 years ago and access to medical treatment could be limited.

• Hepatitis B – Turkey has an intermediate to high prevalence of hepatitis B. Vaccination can be considered for all travellers and is particularly relevant for longer stays, or where there could be exposure to blood or bodily fluids through medical or dental treatment, sexual contact, tattoos, piercings, or certain types of work.
• Rabies – Rabies is present in Turkey and has been reported in domestic animals. Pre-travel vaccination may be recommended for people staying for more than a month, working with animals, taking part in activities such as running or cycling, or travelling somewhere where access to treatment could be limited.
• Typhoid – Typhoid is known to occur in Turkey, although travellers with reliable access to safe food and water are generally at low risk. Vaccination may be considered for longer stays, frequent travellers, people visiting friends or relatives, or those travelling where sanitation and food hygiene may be poorer.

*For the primary hepatitis A course, excludes booster.

**If you've already completed the primary UK diphtheria, tetanus, and polio course, you may only need a single booster.

***A further MMR dose may be required depending on your vaccination history.

• Food and water-related illness – Stomach bugs and other infections can be picked up through contaminated food or water. Maintain good hand hygiene and take sensible precautions with what you eat and drink, particularly when travelling away from established tourist areas.
• Rabies and animal bites – Avoid approaching or feeding stray dogs, cats, and other animals. If you're bitten or scratched, wash the wound thoroughly and seek urgent medical attention, even if the injury appears minor.
• Insect and tick bites – Insects and ticks in parts of Turkey can transmit illnesses including Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, leishmaniasis, and West Nile virus. Use insect repellent, cover exposed skin, and check yourself for ticks after spending time outdoors.
• Heat and sun exposure – Summer temperatures can be high, particularly in southern and inland parts of Turkey. Stay hydrated, use suitable sun protection and take breaks from prolonged heat.
• Altitude sickness – Most standard holidays in Turkey don't involve a significant altitude risk. However, travellers climbing or trekking at high elevations should take appropriate precautions. Mount Ararat, for example, reaches 5,185 metres, well above the level at which altitude illness can occur.
• Malaria – Turkey currently has a very low malaria risk. Consider awareness and mosquito-bite prevention, but no antimalarial medicines are necessary for travel to Turkey.