Back to travel plan menuINTRODUCTION - travel illness

Various studies around the world have shown illness occurs in between 15 - 55% of all travellers with 11% requiring to see a doctor whilst away. The Quotation below highlights the need for you to be responsible for your own health

"The most important aspect of the prevention of health problems in travellers is health education, not the vaccines or the drugs. The objective of the consultation is to give the prospective traveller enough information to convince him/her to observe precautions even when these may seen unreasonable."

(Guidelines for the Prescriber at Fairfield Hospital Travel Clinic. Vic. - Allen Yung. Feb94)

An understanding of why certain restrictions are necessary is more likely to heeded than a list of do's and don't. (see section on compliance.)

DISEASE RISK

Relative risks of acquiring infections in developing countries

High : > 1/10 travellers

Moderate: <l/10->1/200

Low. <1/200->1/1000

Very low:<1/1000 travellers

Diarrhoea
Upper respiratory infection

Dengue
EnteroviraI infection Gastro-enteritis
Hepatitis A
Malaria (not taking preventative drugs)
Sexually transmitted diseases

Amoebiasis, Ascariasis
Childhood Infections:- (Poliomyelitis, measles mumps, chickenpox.) Hepatitis B, Hepatitis E TB, Typhoid fever
Leptospirosis
Strongyloidiasis
Trichuriasis
Tropical Sprue

AIDS, Arboviral infections
Diphtheria, Echinococcus
Legionellosis, Meliodosis
Malaria (even whilst taking preventative drugs)
Q fever, Rabies
Schistosomiasis, Trichinosis
Trypanosomiasis
Viral haemorrhagic fevers
Yellow fever,

* Schistosomiasis has increased in incidence

Cutaneous Lava Migrans  & cercarial dermatitis are common self limiting parasite infection

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