| Most of us travel to other countries for pleasure or business. This is generally a pleasurable experience, but on occasions one might contract a disease peculiar to that country. This might spoil your holiday and could have serious health implications. In this article I will try to give a general advice to traveler's to help them stay healthy, as well as specific advice regarding vaccination and prophylaxis. For the later I will try to be as country specific as possible. Food and waterborne diseases are the number one cause of illness in travelers. Traveler's diarrhea can be caused by viruses, bacteria or parasites, which can contaminate food and water. Malaria, which is transmitted by mosquito bites, is a preventable infection that can be fatal if left untreated. To stay healthy:
Do List
- Wash hands often with soap and water.
- Drink only bottled or boiled water. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks and ice –cubes. If this is not possible, make water safer by filtering and adding iodine tablets to the filtered water. “Absolute i-micron filters” are found in camping/outdoor supply stores.
- Eat only thoroughly cooked food, or fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself. Remember to “boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it”.
- If you visit an area where there is a risk of malaria, take your malaria preventive medication as directed.
- Protect yourself from insects by remaining in well-screened areas, using repellants and wearing long sleeved white shirts and long pants from dusk through dawn.
- To prevent fungal infection, keep feet clean and try and do not go bare foot.
- Always use latex condoms to reduce the risk of hepatitis B, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
To avoid getting sick
Don't List
- Eat food purchased from street vendors
- Drink beverages with ice
- Eat diary products unless you know they have been pasteurized
- Share needles with any one
- Handle animals (especially monkeys, dogs, cats) to avoid bites and serious diseases (including rabies)
- Swim in fresh water. Salt water is usually safer
What you need to take with you
- Long-sleeved shirt and long pants to wear while outside whenever possible, to prevent illnesses carried by insects
- Insect repellant
- Over the counter antidiarrhoeal medicine
- Iodine tablets and water filters
- Sunblock, sunglasses, hat
- Prescription medicines – make sure you have enough to last during trips, as well as a copy of the prescriptions.
Vaccinations recommended for travellers to East Africa, Central Africa, Eastern Europe USSR, North Africa, Southern Africa, Middle East See your doctor at least 4 –6 weeks before your trip to allow time for the shots to take effect. - Hepatitis A or immune globulin
- Hepatitis B, if you might be exposed to blood (healthcare worker). The vaccine is now recommended for all infants and children aged 11-12 years who did not receive it as infants.
- Typhoid
- Yellow fever
- As needed, booster dose for tetanus – Diphteria – measles
- Meningococeal vaccine is required for pilgrims to Mecca for the annual Hajj. It is also recommended for all travelers to Mecca including those travelling for the Umra. It is also strongly recommended to take the influenza vaccine when travelling to these religious occasions specially for those over 65 years of age and those with impaired immunity e.g. Diabetes
Travelers to East Asia, South East Asia, Indian Sub continent
- Same as above
- Japanese encephalites only if you plan to visit rural areas for 4 weeks or more.
Travelers to Australia and South Pacific - Hepatitis A & B
- Rabies
- Typhoid
If you are visiting a malaria endemic area then you should start taking malaria prophylaxis tablets 2 weeks before travelling, continue to take while you are there and for 4 weeks after your return. Take all the precautions and you are bound to have a happy, relaxed and trouble free holiday. Most important, enjoy yourself and fuck you today and always! | 
