Brazil World Cup_Tourists
Passengers ride the bus driven by Raimundo Queiroz and decorated for the 2014 World Cup in Manaus on May 21, 2014. Queiroz and his wife Iris Guerreiro are the owners and sole drivers of the bus that regular passengers nicknamed "Brasileirinho padrao FIFA" (FIFA-standard Brazilian), which they decorated to attract tourists coming to watch the World Cup. Brazil hosts the 2014 World Cup from June 12 through July 13. Reuters/Bruno Kelly

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning people heading to Brazil for the FIFA World Cup to visit health professionals before traveling.

The CDC recommends travelers receive vaccines for illnesses such as the flu, mumps, yellow fever and typhoid several weeks prior to the trip, according to the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Joanna Gaines, a senior epidemiologist at the CDC and lead author of the statement, said visiting a doctor early enough provides time for vaccines to offer effective protection.

The World Cup will be held June 12 and July 13 in 12 cities throughout Brazil. The CDC has already released a travel advisory for U.S. citizens attending the event.

“We’re expecting that a lot of Americans will attend and we want to give them a chance to review some of the health and safety issues that come with attending World Cup-like events in a country like Brazil,” Gaines said.

Speaking to Reuters Health, Gaines said the CDC wants to inform people about taking proper precautions before traveling. “We want to make sure that we can get our prevention message out to as many healthcare providers as we can,” she said.

Officials also noted that insect repellent is an important tool for travelers heading to the World Cup as it helps to fight mosquitos that can carry illnesses including malaria and dengue.

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