Mozambique

Contaminated food and drinking water remain common sources of hepatitis A infection in many parts of the world, including Mozambique.

This viral illness affects the liver and can be acquired through eating, drinking, or close contact with an infected person, regardless of whether you are staying in a city, beach resort, or rural community. Symptoms can vary considerably, ranging from mild fatigue, nausea, and reduced appetite through to abdominal pain, dark urine, jaundice, and several weeks of illness.

Vaccination for Hepatitis A is recommended for most unvaccinated travellers visiting Mozambique. While the vaccine provides highly effective protection, careful attention to food and water hygiene remains an important additional safeguard during travel.

Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection caused by Salmonella Typhi and is acquired through food or water contaminated by human waste. Travellers may be exposed in areas where sanitation and water treatment systems are limited, which can occur in both urban and rural parts of Mozambique.

The illness typically causes persistent fever, headache, fatigue, abdominal discomfort, and loss of appetite, and can become serious without treatment.

Vaccination for Typhoid fever should be discussed before travel, particularly for those planning extended stays, visiting rural regions, travelling independently, or spending significant time outside major tourist facilities. As no vaccine provides complete protection, safe eating and drinking habits remain essential throughout the trip.

Rabies is present in Mozambique and is transmitted through the saliva of infected mammals, most commonly through bites and scratches. Dogs are responsible for most human exposures to rabies, although other animals, including bats, can also carry the virus.

Once symptoms begin, rabies is almost always fatal. Access to rabies vaccines and rabies immunoglobulin following an exposure may be difficult outside larger cities, making prevention particularly important.

Travellers should avoid touching or feeding animals, including apparently healthy dogs, cats, and wildlife. Pre-exposure rabies vaccination should be discussed with a travel doctor, particularly by those spending extended periods in Mozambique, travelling to remote areas, working with animals, cycling, motorcycling, or undertaking outdoor activities where medical care may not be immediately accessible.

Any bite, scratch, or saliva exposure involving broken skin should be washed thoroughly with soap and running water and assessed urgently by a medical professional.

Mpox (formerly monkeypox) is a viral infection that spreads mainly through close physical contact with an infected person, contaminated materials such as bedding or clothing, or infected animals.

Symptoms of mpox commonly include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a characteristic rash that progresses through several stages before healing. Cases and outbreaks have been reported in a number of African countries, and travellers should remain aware of local public health advice before departure.

The risk for most tourists remains low, but mpox vaccination may be appropriate for some travellers depending on their planned activities, destinations, and individual risk factors. Reducing risk involves avoiding close contact with people who have a rash or other symptoms suggestive of mpox, maintaining good hand hygiene, and seeking medical attention if symptoms develop during or after travel.

Measles continues to cause outbreaks in many parts of the world and remains a risk for international travellers. The measles virus spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or breathes, and can remain in an enclosed space for up to two hours after that person has left.

Symptoms typically begin with fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes before a widespread rash develops several days later. While many people recover fully, complications such as pneumonia, brain inflammation, and hospitalisation can occur, particularly in young children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

Australians born during or after 1966 should ensure they have received two documented doses of a measles-containing vaccine before travelling overseas. Anyone uncertain of their vaccination history should discuss this with their doctor before departure.

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that can damage the liver and, in some people, persist for life. Long-term infection may lead to complications such as cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer years after the initial exposure.

The hepatitis B virus virus is spread through blood and bodily fluids and may be transmitted through sexual contact, medical or dental treatment, tattooing, piercing, or exposure to contaminated needles and equipment.

As hepatitis B occurs more commonly in Mozambique than in Australia, CDC recommends vaccination for unvaccinated travellers. Discussing your vaccination status and travel plans with a travel doctor before departure can help determine whether vaccination is appropriate for your individual circumstances.

Cholera is a bacterial infection spread through contaminated food and water and can cause sudden, severe diarrhoea leading to dangerous dehydration. Active cholera transmission has been reported in Mozambique in recent years. The risk to most tourists is relatively low, but vaccination may be appropriate for some travellers depending on destination, activities, and length of stay. Travellers should discuss individual risk with a travel doctor. Preventive measures include careful hand hygiene and strict attention to food and water safety.

Travelling to Mozambique is a good opportunity to review routine immunisations and ensure they remain current. Diseases that are uncommon in Australia due to widespread vaccination continue to circulate in many countries and can be encountered during flights, airport transit, or day-to-day travel. Routine vaccinations include protection against measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, influenza, and COVID-19.

Travellers planning adventure activities, visiting rural areas, or spending extended periods overseas should pay particular attention to ensuring their tetanus vaccination is up to date.

Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all travellers, as influenza circulates year-round in tropical regions and can spread easily in crowded travel settings. A travel doctor can review your vaccination history and advise whether any booster or catch-up doses are appropriate before departure.