Infectious diseases

Last Updated
Thursday, 31/10/2024
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This page has information about the risk of infectious diseases for Australians overseas.

This page only gives general advice. Always talk to your healthcare providers for advice specific to you and your situation.

Read this page to learn about:

Infectious disease risks overseas

Infectious diseases exist everywhere. But you have a higher risk of getting an infectious disease in some destinations. This can be due to:

  • water and sanitation issues
  • insects that carry diseases
  • low vaccination rates.

Research the risks before you go. Then you can take preventive measures to reduce them.

  • Read our travel advice for your destination. See if there are any health risks or suggested vaccines listed.
  • Talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Tell them where you're going and ask their advice on prevention.

Vaccine-preventable diseases

Vaccination can prevent some diseases.

Get your travel vaccinations. Particularly if there's a travel warning for a vaccine-preventable disease where you're going. Ensuring you're vaccinated can protect you and those around you.

Talk to your doctor. Ask what travel vaccines they recommend. And find out if your standard vaccinations need boosting.

Get the vaccinations you need well before you go. Some take 6-8 weeks to work or need several doses.

Visit the Vaccine Hub to explore suggested vaccines for where you're going. Common travel vaccines include:

This list doesn't include everything. You may need to vaccinate against other diseases depending on your health and where you're going. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Learn more about travel vaccinations.

Proof of vaccination

You may need proof of certain vaccinations when you're travelling.

Rules will vary between each country. Contact your destination's embassy or consulate in Australia for information.

Yellow fever

Some countries need you to show an international yellow fever vaccination certificate if you:

  • arrive from a yellow fever-infected area
  • transit through an infected area before arriving
  • have been in an infected area within a number of days before arriving.

Your airline can stop you from boarding if you don't have one.

It's important to get your yellow fever vaccination at an approved clinic. You need it at least 10 days before you travel. The clinic will give you your certificate.

Read more about international yellow fever vaccination certificates.

COVID-19

You no longer need an International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate (ICVC) to travel overseas.

Insect-borne diseases

Insects can carry disease and spread it between people. They can also spread disease between animals and people.

You're more likely to get an insect-borne disease in tropical climates. This includes parts of

  • Asia
  • Africa
  • Central America
  • the Pacific.

You're also at risk in parts of Europe and the United States. Risks may differ depending on what you plan to do.

Some common insect-borne diseases are:

If you're pregnant or planning to get pregnant, your unborn child may face more risks from Zika virus. As a precaution, the Department of Health advises you to consider delaying travel to countries with Zika.

Reducing your risk of insect-borne diseases

You can get vaccinated against some insect-borne illnesses. For others, such as malaria, there's oral medicine you can take. Discuss options with your doctor or pharmacist.

Take steps to avoid insect bites.

  • Cover exposed skin with light-coloured long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
  • Use insect repellents with DEET or picaridin. If you use both sunscreen and insect repellent, apply the sunscreen first and then the repellent.
  • Treat your clothing and gear with insecticides containing permethrin.
  • Sleep in screened or air-conditioned rooms. Use bed nets if you can't keep mosquitoes from coming inside the room.

After walking through high grass or brush in tick-prone areas:

  • brush off your clothes before getting in a car or going inside
  • check yourself and others for ticks 
  • tumble dry your clothes hot for 20 minutes to kill ticks that may have hitched a ride.

Water- or food-borne diseases

Water- or food-borne diseases are common in many countries. You can catch them from:

  • drinking or using tainted water
  • drinking any drink with ice cubes made with tap water
  • eating food washed with tap water
  • brushing your teeth or washing your face with tap water
  • eating tainted food, including meals prepared by people following poor hygiene practices
  • taking part in activities in tainted water, such as swimming or water sports.

Some water- and food-borne diseases include:

Cholera is less common, but it's very contagious and deadly.

Reduce your risk from water- or food-borne diseases

There are vaccines for some water and food-borne infectious diseases, including hepatitis A, typhoid and cholera.

You can do a lot to reduce your risk of infection where water and food-borne diseases are common.

  • Wash your hands often and use hand sanitiser before you eat.
  • Drink bottled water from a sealed bottle.
  • Use water-sterilising tablets or filtration bottles to make tap water safe.
  • Wash fresh produce thoroughly using bottled or sterilised water.

Try to avoid:

  • drinking tap water or using it to clean your teeth
  • drinks with ice cubes. Some restaurants may use water straight from the tap
  • uncooked and undercooked food or food that has been left sitting for a while
  • fresh salads and raw vegetables
  • contact with water or soil that may be contaminated with sewerage
  • in some places, swimming or wading in any fresh water.

For more information, see the Better Health Channel's advice on food safety while travelling.

Contact, droplet and airborne diseases

Some diseases can spread:

  • through close contact with a person who is coughing, sneezing, or unwell
  • through something an infected person touched after coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose.

These are called diseases spread by contact, droplets or through the air.

These include:

Reducing your risk of contact, droplet and airborne diseases

Protect yourself from contact, droplet and airborne diseases.

  • Stay up to date with your vaccinations for measles, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, flu, COVID-19, and other vaccines recommended by your doctor.
  • Wash your hands often or use hand sanitiser if soap and water aren't available.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick or showing early symptoms.
  • Avoid close contact with wild or domestic animals.

Blood-borne diseases

Some infectious diseases can be spread by blood. This can be:

  • when an infected person's blood comes into direct contact with another person's blood, mouth or eyes
  • when blood is on an object such as a needle or razor blade
  • through bodily fluids (see also sexually transmissible infections)

Common blood-borne diseases overseas are:

Reduce your risk of blood-borne diseases

You can get vaccinated against some blood-borne diseases.

You can also reduce your risk of infection by being careful and making smart choices.

  • Avoid contact with any objects that could be tainted with blood or body fluids.
  • Never share needles, syringes, or other injecting tools.
  • Choose tattoo, piercing and medical services that carefully sterilise their tools and surfaces. If you're not sure, ask for proof before they start.
  • Practise safer sex.
  • Cover wounds and cuts with a waterproof dressing.
  • Don't share toothbrushes, razors and other personal items that may be tainted with blood.
  • Use gloves and other relevant protection when giving first aid.

These diseases may not have symptoms in the early stages. If you think you've been exposed, seek medical advice early. There may be preventive treatment.

Sexually transmissible infections (STIs)

STIs are infections or diseases passed on during unprotected sex with an infected partner, including vaginal, anal and oral sex. Some STIs can spread through skin-to-skin contact with a person's infected genitals or mouth.

STIs include:

Other diseases can spread through sexual contact but are not called an STI. For example, water-borne diseases shigellosis and hepatitis A can also spread through sexual activity, including oral and anal sex.

Reducing your risk of STIs

Vaccines can prevent some STIs. But you must also take preventive measures to reduce your risk of infection.

Reduce your risk of infection by taking and using your own condoms from a brand you trust.

STIs may not have symptoms. If you think you've been exposed, seek medical advice.

If you're a victim of assault, including sexual assault, get medical care immediately to reduce the risk of infection.

For more information, see the Department of Health's information on STIs and HIV / AIDS.

Diseases spread by animals

Some animals can spread disease through close contact, scratches or bites. These diseases include:

Reduce your risk of infection.

  • Get vaccinated for rabies and influenza before you go, if recommended.
  • Avoid contact with sick animals.
  • Wash your hands well after contact with animals.
  • Don't eat raw or undercooked meat or animal products.

If you have a pre-existing illness, you may need to avoid all contact with some animals. Seek medical advice.

If you're bitten, scratched or licked on an open wound by an animal:

  • use first aid
  • wash the wound out well with soap and water for at least 10 minutes
  • use antiseptic solution
  • get urgent medical advice about preventing rabies, tetanus, and bacterial infection.

Consular services and infectious diseases

You're responsible for protecting yourself against infectious diseases.

Read the Consular Services Charter for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.

What we can do

  • We can update our travel advice if we learn of a disease outbreak.
  • We can give you a list of local English-speaking doctors and health services.
  • We can help you get in contact with family and friends in Australia.
  • We can provide emergency support if we declare a disease outbreak a crisis.

What we can't do

  • We can't tell you every infectious disease in your destination.
  • We can't give you medical advice.
  • We can't tell you all the vaccines you may need.
  • We can't tell you what to do or take to protect your health in your destination.
  • We can't guarantee your health in any destination.
  • We can't pay your medical costs if you get sick overseas.

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