Travel Health Expert Offers Tips for a Healthy Summer Vacation
The millions of Americans who will travel abroad this summer should plan a trip to the doctor as soon as possible, says H. Thomas Johnson, MD, a Saint Louis University family physician, and expert in travel medicine.
Ideally, Johnson says, travelers should make an appointment six months before traveling to exotic locations, because some vaccines, such as hepatitis A and B, require six months between the first dose and the booster.
If a traveler does not have six months, Johnson still recommends getting the first vaccine, because it will provide some protection. Even travelers going to mainstream destinations, such as touristy parts of Mexico, should check with their doctor beforehand so they can learn about precautions and vaccines, he says. The doctors can also prescribe patches for sea sickness, or medications that relieve traveler’s diarrhea, for example.
He recommends the following tips for a safe vacation:
-Pack smart: Bring your medications in your carry-on luggage. Controlled substances must be in their original pharmacy container and over-the-counter liquid medications must meet flight guidelines. It’s also a good idea to bring bandages, pain relievers, medicine for nausea and heart burn, antibacterial ointment and antibacterial hand wipes.
-Enjoy the sun, safely: Bring sunscreen with a minimum of a 30 SPF, especially in tropical destinations.
-Keep the bugs away: Bug spray with 30 to 50 percent DEET is especially important if you are traveling to places where malaria is present. If you will be sleeping outdoors or in huts, bring a mosquito net.
-Be cautious about what you eat and drink: Avoiding drinking water and ice cubes is not enough. If food is not pealed, boiled or cooked, avoid it. This includes fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as undercooked meats and raw fish. Be particularly careful with food and drink from street vendors.
-Records: Bring your personal health information, such as a list of any conditions you might have, or medications you are taking. Tell your companions beforehand where the information is stored in case you become unconscious.
BALTIMORE -- New vaccine requirements will affect anyone who is applying for an immigrant visa for entry into the U.S. and anyone seeking adjustment of status for permanent residence. Applicants must show proof of vaccinations against vaccine-preventable diseases, as recommended by the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Passport Health, a company that specializes in travel medicine and vaccinations, announced ...
Diarrhea PatchResearchers at the University of Texas School of Public Health have found that patients given a travelers’ diarrhea vaccine were significantly less likely to suffer from clinically significant diarrhea than those who received placebo, according to a study published in this week’s edition of the Lancet. The patch-based vaccine is part of the Phase 2 study in conjunction with ...
As Americans travel to Israel for the Jewish holiday of Passover, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises all travelers to ensure they are protected from measles before departing, because of a measles outbreak in Israel. Since September, more than 900 cases of measles have been reported in Israel, with about 700 cases in the cities of Jerusalem ...
DENVER -- Michelle Reesman, RN, executive director of Passport Health Colorado, says far too many international travelers, from business travelers to the more adventurous types, leave home without taking the basic steps she suggests below. "People need to put the same kind of preparation into their health as they do into their destination choice, passport acquisition or flight plans," ...
The millions of Americans who will travel abroad this summer should plan a trip to the doctor as soon as possible, says H. Thomas Johnson, MD, a Saint Louis University family physician, and expert in travel medicine. Ideally, Johnson says, travelers should make an appointment six months before traveling to exotic locations, because some vaccines, such as hepatitis A and ...
Bacteria and viruses are the microscopic organisms – otherwise known as germs -- that are responsible for causing and transmitting illness and disease. These microbes are so small, that according to the American Society for Microbiology, if the smallest of all microbes was the size of a baseball, an average bacterium would then be the size of the pitcher's mound, and just one of the millions of cells that make up your body would be the size of the ballpark!
