Travelers Health

Before deploying overseas, you and your family should be aware of potential diseases as well as the necessary vaccinations and foreign entry requirements.

"People have been going on safari and contracting malaria for years," says Roz Dewart, chief of the Travelers' Health Section, Division of Quarantine of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As more travelers venture to more exotic destinations, she says, they are bringing home a wide spectrum of exotic diseases.

As long as you are prepared, however, you can safely enjoy whatever destination you choose. Besides the recommended vaccinations for all U.S citizens--such as for measles, mumps, and rubella--travelers will want to receive vaccinations for whatever exotic diseases they come in contact with on their travels. The following list provides vaccination information, but a travel-medicine specialist should be consulted to find the correct coverage for you based on your itinerary. See Atevo Travel's article on travel health resources to find a doctor near you.

Intestinal Distress

Many travelers experience some form of intestinal distress, caused by everything from amoebas to E. coli, especially in destinations where hygiene is poor or water is infected. Most cases are self-limited, meaning the symptoms desist on their own. While the ailment is rarely life threatening, it is uncomfortable and can interfere with travel plans.

To avoid intestinal problems, drink bottled water and stay away from ice cubes or anything that may contain added tap water, such as fruit juice. Eat hot foods, and consume only raw fruits and vegetables that can be peeled. If you experience traveler's diarrhea, take an over-the-counter, anti-diarrhea medicine like Imodium AD and stay hydrated. For more complete advice, read Atevo Travel's Tips and Advice area.

Hepatitis A, B, and C

Hepatitis diseases cause inflammation of the liver. Travelers may encounter Hepatitis A because it is generally transmitted through contaminated food or water. For prevention, travelers should receive the short-term gamma-globulin shot, or the immunization series, which must be timed over six months. For more details, read the information provided by the American Liver Foundation.

Hepatitis B is similar to hepatitis A. Like hepatitis A, travelers should be immunized, a course that must be taken over six months. For more details, read the information provided by the American Liver Association.

It is only recently that Hepatitis C's widespread transmission has been recognized. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 30 percent of the world's population is infected. The same precautions should be afforded as are taken to avoid HIV infection. For more details, read the information provided by the American Liver Association.

HIV/AIDS

Of course, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is not just a concern for adventurous travelers--the World Health Organization estimates that at the end of 1997 there were over 30 million people living with HIV/AIDS. What is especially of concern to travelers is that more than 90 percent of all infections occurred in so-called developing countries. The majority of cases occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, with south and Southeast Asia also having high incidence rates; North Africa and the Middle East have the fewest transmissions.

To prevent transmission in a medical emergency, make sure your health-care provider uses clean needles and screened blood for transfusions. Remember too that HIV/AIDS can also be contracted through sexual contact, tattooing, body piercing, acupuncture, or any skin-piercing procedure. For more details, read the information provided by the CDC.

Malaria

Malaria can be found in many hot, moist areas around the world and has always been a concern for adventurous travelers heading off the beaten path. Transmitted by the bite of the anopheles mosquito, it has confounded pharmaceutical researchers by developing resistance to various drugs.

You can avoid malaria by staying indoors (i.e., where there are no mosquitoes) from dusk through dawn, wearing clothing that protects your entire body, wearing white or light clothing, wearing a deet-based insect repellent, burning anti-mosquito coils in your hotel room, sleeping under a pesticide-treated mosquito net, and by taking anti-malarial drugs.

For more information, see Atevo Travel's tips on malaria prevention and mosquito avoidance. Also, read the information provided by the CDC.

Dengue Fever

A different mosquito that lives in many tropical areas--the aedes mosquito--transmits dengue fever. As opposed to the malarial mosquito, it is active during the day. It frequents urban areas and is often present indoors, although it avoids air conditioning. No immunization or cure is available, but drugs and measures can reduce the effects of the disease. Travelers can avoid the disease by wearing insect repellent and full clothing, remaining in well-screened or air-conditioned areas, and avoiding areas of epidemic. For more details, see the information provided by the CDC.

Cholera

A disease mostly found in Latin America, the CDC estimates that it infects over a million people there. Cholera is transmitted through contaminated food and water, particularly seafood. To avoid the disease, follow the same precautions that you follow to avoid traveler's diarrhea and stay away from areas of epidemic. For more details, see the information provided by the CDC.

Typhoid Fever

Typhoid fever--most prevalent in Africa, Asia, and Latin America--affects about 12.5 million people every year. It is spread by the same means as hepatitis A--in contaminated food and drinks. Vaccines are available and recommended to travelers heading to infected areas, but they are not 100 percent effective, so vigilance in what you eat and drink is also important.

The typhoid fever vaccine course can take up to five weeks to complete, plus a week to build resiliency. For more details, see the information provided by the CDC.

Rabies

If you are bitten by an animal you suspect has rabies, an effective treatment can be administered. No treatment is available once symptoms appear, therefore a pre-exposure vaccination is recommended for international travelers who might not have immediate access to the treatment. The series includes three doses administered over a three-to-four week period.

Even if you are immunized, if you experience a bite from an animal, you should still seek medical attention as promptly as possible. For more details, see the information provided by the CDC.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB), once a disease on the run, has experienced a resurgence in the last few years. It is transmitted through the air and through non-pasteurized milk.

The vaccination is recommended for anyone traveling to countries of high tuberculosis incidence. This is applicable for many developing countries, especially if you are planning to travel on public transportation or be exposed to crowds. It is controversial, however, and you should discuss the vaccine with your doctor.

Japanese Encephalitis

With the recent Malaysian outbreak, Japanese encephalitis has made the headlines. But, the risk of infection to travelers is low. Found in Asian countries such as China, India, Nepal, Korea, and Malaysia, it usually appears in the summer or rainy seasons, and is transmitted by mosquitoes to people who are near rice-growing and pig-farming areas.

A vaccine that is administered over a 30-day course is available, but is not recommended for travelers who won't spend extended periods of time in rural regions where Japanese encephalitis occurs. Most travelers in these regions should take the same mosquito precautions that are used to avoid malaria and dengue fever. For more details, see the information provided by the CDC.

Yellow Fever

Like Japanese encephalitis, yellow fever is transmitted through mosquitoes, and the risk of contraction to most travelers is very low. However, many countries attempting to contain the disease require you to be vaccinated against it. The vaccination is administered in one dose and confers immunity for 10 years or more. For more details, see the information provided by the CDC.

Returning Home

If you do run into one of these diseases while abroad, you should visit a doctor who specializes in travel medicine once you return home. Fortunately, travel medicine is getting greater attention and more and more physicians are joining the International Society of Travel Medicine, so the number of travel-health professionals and their levels of expertise are both on the rise.