Travel Health

[Tas]

Thought the article was too long and went on a bit :http://www.smh.com.au/travel/traveller- ... 1bp74.html But the list a brief summary and reminder.

Pretty sure I was jabbed painfully for about +80% of these again last year, but couldn't remember the of Japanese encephalitis one, so inspired the post. :

TRAVEL ILLNESS TIPS

Most travellers come home from their trips perfectly healthy. However, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so take reasonable protections against these illnesses:

- Travellers' diarrhea: The most common travel illness, this comes when you eat food or drink water that contain bacteria unfamiliar to your system. Treat with Imodium or antibiotics if it is persistent. An estimated 10 percent- 20 percent of all international travellers complain of this ailment.

- Malaria: Parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes, causing fever, chills and other complications; untreated it can be fatal. Prevention is not absolute, but if you take medication, use DEET lotions and avoid mosquitoes when travelling, you will cut your risk.

- Yellow fever: Potentially fatal viral fever spread by mosquitoes. Proof of vaccination is mandatory for visiting certain countries. Vaccination will protect you for 10 years.

- Typhoid: Bacterial infection, potentially fatal, spread by contaminated food and water. An oral immunisation protects for 5 years.

- Hepatitis A and B: The A virus is spread by contaminated food and water; B is from blood or bodily fluids. A series of three immunisations (Twinrix) protects you.

- Polio: You might think polio was wiped out, but it's not true. A polio booster protects travellers previously immunised.

- Meningitis: Inflammation of brain and spinal cord fluid caused by infection; the bacterial kind can kill you. An immunisation protects you.

- Measles, mumps, TB: These still exist around the world. Make sure your regular immunisations are up to date.

- H1N1 flu: The pandemic is over and the amount of flu is back to normal this year in the world, according to the World Health Organisation.

- Dengue fever, West Nile virus, Rift Valley fever, hemorrhagic fever, Chikungunya: These viruses are mostly spread by mosquitoes or ticks at various spots around the world. No immunisations are available, so take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

- Japanese encephalitis: Serious brain inflammation disease, transmitted by mosquitoes. An immunisation exists.

[Sardonicus]

Doesn't mention the prophylactic I took for Malaria when I traveled to Cambodia and Viet Nam in '95. Forgot the name of it but after wards heard that the prevention has some undesirable side-effects.

[Fat Bob]

That'll be Larium (mefloquine). Only taken anti-malaria tabs once since I've been in Singapore and visited countless other countries. Mossie repellent spray is much more effective, just gotta remember it when on rugby tour!

[Sardonicus]

Yep, that's what it was.

[Kooky]

Larium is scary shit but which malaria medication you need to take depends on the area you are visiting. I've taken other malaria tabs (e.g., for Central America) without wanting to kill myself.

[cromasaig]

My cousin and his (then new) girlfriend were staying at my aunt and uncle after a bout of travelling when, in the middle of the night his girlfriend jumped out of bed, screaming, and ran downstairs. In the course of which she met my alarmed Uncle who'd just got out of bed to see what the fuss was about. She jumped on him, clutching him, and refusing to let go until she was physically dragged off him.

She was completely naked at the time.

None of us has taken Larium since.

[slinky]

My cousin and his (then new) girlfriend were staying at my aunt and uncle after a bout of travelling when, in the middle of the night his girlfriend jumped out of bed, screaming, and ran downstairs. In the course of which she met my alarmed Uncle who'd just got out of bed to see what the fuss was about. She jumped on him, clutching him, and refusing to let go until she was physically dragged off him.

She was completely naked at the time.

None of us has taken Larium since.

Wow. Bet she was beyond embarrassed

[Snaffled]

I took Larium in the late 90s when doing work in West Africa. Nothing major except mad technicolour dreams. Any side effects are better than Malaria though...

[Fat Bob]

Doesn't mention STDs. There again, prevention is better than cure again: Don't shag cheap whores.

[BoD]

Just expensive ones then?

[cromasaig]

My cousin and his (then new) girlfriend were staying at my aunt and uncle after a bout of travelling when, in the middle of the night his girlfriend jumped out of bed, screaming, and ran downstairs. In the course of which she met my alarmed Uncle who'd just got out of bed to see what the fuss was about. She jumped on him, clutching him, and refusing to let go until she was physically dragged off him.

She was completely naked at the time.

None of us has taken Larium since.

Wow. Bet she was beyond embarrassed

Yep. Unsurprisingly, she told no-one. My aunt & uncle told no-one. My darling cousin told everyone he possibly could.

Must've got away with it though; she's currently expecting their fourth child.

[Fat Bob]

Or everyone has heard and no one else wants her.....

[cromasaig]

It's hard to believe you haven't already been snapped up FB.

[Tas]

Actually the STD thing is quite a good point, as Gwyneth said on Glee, everyone has had a random.

Another thing that should be mentioned up there right after the Immodium, is Metamucil or the equivalent little green over the counter herbal tablets that help things along - without going into detail, I've had enough travel experience, and had enough conversations with a lot of chaps to know that they are needed/used more often than the Immodium...

[Fat Bob]

Surely a good curry can help you there? But yes, eating well whilst on trips is important and sometimes not that easy, and hence supplements like that may help.

Oh, and a Berocca for the morning!

[Spike]

I took Paludrin anti malarial almost continuously for three years when going back and forth to Africa. Never caused me to run about naked screaming though. It was normally the bed bugs in cheap African hotels that made me do that.

[Tas]

urgh, should have re-read my own lists. 3 weeks of the same montonous food and my body hates me, it really hates rice again too.

[Fat Bob]

My problem a week or so ago was the lack of variety in my diet too. The only green thing near my mouth all weekend was a beer bottle.

[Sardonicus]

Saw this while in Thailand last week: http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2011/03/ ... y-website/

[Morrolan]

My problem a week or so ago was the lack of variety in my diet too. The only green thing near my mouth all weekend was a beer bottle.

[lincolnscofield111]

Hello,

Thanks for your suggestions. I have my own opinion on it, people should avoid drinking water on travel instead of this they can take boiled water from home. This tips will keep a person safe from various disease at a single time.

[ankitadas]

But how it can be possible to have the same water through out the trip. I think everyone should take some mineral water.

[Kooky]

Oh dear.

[Fat Bob]

But how it can be possible to have the same water through out the trip. I think everyone should take some mineral water.

It is possible to have the same water during your whole trip: drink your own pee. You're just cutting out the middle man (Singapore's Newater company) so you'll be saving a bundle.

You may want to refrigerate it first.

[luca mike]

Thought the article was too long and went on a bit :http://www.smh.com.au/travel/traveller- ... 1bp74.html But the list a brief summary and reminder.

Pretty sure I was jabbed painfully for about +80% of these again last year, but couldn't remember the of Japanese encephalitis one, so inspired the post. :

TRAVEL ILLNESS TIPS

Most travellers come home from their trips perfectly healthy. However, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so take reasonable protections against these illnesses:

- Travellers' diarrhea: The most common travel illness, this comes when you eat food or drink water that contain bacteria unfamiliar to your system. Treat with Imodium or antibiotics if it is persistent. An estimated 10 percent- 20 percent of all international travellers complain of this ailment.

- Malaria: Parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes, causing fever, chills and other complications; untreated it can be fatal. Prevention is not absolute, but if you take medication, use DEET lotions and avoid mosquitoes when travelling, you will cut your risk.

- Yellow fever: Potentially fatal viral fever spread by mosquitoes. Proof of vaccination is mandatory for visiting certain countries. Vaccination will protect you for 10 years.

- Typhoid: Bacterial infection, potentially fatal, spread by contaminated food and water. An oral immunisation protects for 5 years.

- Hepatitis A and B: The A virus is spread by contaminated food and water; B is from blood or bodily fluids. A series of three immunisations (Twinrix) protects you.

- Polio: You might think polio was wiped out, but it's not true. A polio booster protects travellers previously immunised.

- Meningitis: Inflammation of brain and spinal cord fluid caused by infection; the bacterial kind can kill you. An immunisation protects you.

- Measles, mumps, TB: These still exist around the world. Make sure your regular immunisations are up to date.

- H1N1 flu: The pandemic is over and the amount of flu is back to normal this year in the world, according to the World Health Organisation.

- Dengue fever, West Nile virus, Rift Valley fever, hemorrhagic fever, Chikungunya: These viruses are mostly spread by mosquitoes or ticks at various spots around the world. No immunisations are available, so take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

- Japanese encephalitis: Serious brain inflammation disease, transmitted by mosquitoes. An immunisation exists.

nice tips..........