Courtesy of tyrchon
The excitement of travel can blind people to the small things. And by small I mean microscopic. Have you ever taken the time to consider where you're going, what kind of sickness and disease is typical in that region, and what you should do before branching out to that region? I know I don't in the heat of the moment.
Many countries have required travelers to obtain specific vaccines in order to avoid infection upon arrival. The yellow fever vaccine is required in many states located in high risk nations, such as in Africa and South America. The World Health Organization has a 32 page document regarding the requirements for yellow fever and malaria in each individual country. Specifically cited, when considering cholera and smallpox, the WHO does not report a single countries request for the vaccines and the WHO actually "does not recommend the smallpox vaccination for travelers," de to that certified eradication of the disease in 1980.
left to right: MMR infection, Typhoid fever
Another recommendation if traveling to Asia, Latin America, or Africa is the typhoid vaccine. Around 90% of all US cases are a result of foreign travel (75% coming from the India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan regions). Although routine vaccination is not advised in the US, travelers are advised to be treated before their voyage due to the potential risk of exposure to the Salmonella serotype Typhi.
Basically, go get your shots so you don't disappear off the map and die without anyone knowing!
Another major and more recent problem revolves around Brazil and the Zika virus.
WARNING: WHO has declared the virus an international public health emergency.
Courtesy of Wikipedia
The disease could infect as many as four million people come the end of 2016, but why is it an "international public health emergency!?" In October the idea that Zika causes microcephaly was purposed, and of course it's transmitted by mosquitoes.. For those of us who don't keep up with the medical world (like myself before writing this), microcephaly is a disease that causes infants to be born with unusually small heads and often brain deformity or damage. This really means the virus only noticeably affects pregnant women so a number of Latin and South American countries have made the "Worst Place for Pregnant Women to Visit" list.
On the bright side, experts do not suspect the virus sticks around long after pregnancy so the chances for a woman to give birth to an infant with microcephaly when she got pregnant after dealing with the virus is low.
Courtesy of Gizmodo
On the dark side, as of February 24 there was no known treatment or vaccine. Efforts had just begun, but regardless, extremely mosquito-infested regions would be difficult to protect/heal quickly. Oh and did you realize that the OLYMPICS this summer are in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil? Although extremely unlikely I feel I must do my civic duty and so, if any there are any women reading this blog, who are both pregnant and were planning on attending the 2016 Summer Olympics, please don't. Think of your baby and stay away!!!
Courtesy of picserver
So, for all of those of you planning on going abroad, do yourselves a favor and look at where you're planning on adventuring too and figure out which vaccine(s) you should invest in. The CDC website can supply you with the necessary knowledge about what specific treatments you should acquire before travel. Generally, you will want to be up to date on routine vaccinations. These include your MMR, Meningitis, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Tdap, and Polio shots... I know... needles are scary, but imagine going abroad and then having to lay in a hospital bed the whole time because you weren't brave for five seconds!
This is very important for me to know. I will be taking a trip to Europe this summer and didn't even think of vaccines I might have to get.
ReplyDeleteI'm traveling to Singapore this summer, and after reading this post I'll definitely make sure to get all my vaccines before I leave. It was also great to learn more about the Zika virus, which I didn't know much about before.
ReplyDeletegood thing im not going anywhere important this summer. although i did go to Europe last year and I never he realized this was a threat.
ReplyDeleteIt's impossible to overemphasize how important vaccinations are, especially for travelers, and I greatly appreciate this reminder, along with all the helpful information it provides.
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ReplyDeleteMy mother had to get a multitude of vaccinations when she went to Haiti for the first time. So this subject resonates with me, and fortunately (or unfortunately), I've never been to one of these riskier countries to understand the threat posed by traveling to these countries
ReplyDeleteVaccines are a very important part of traveling. However, I did not know that Zika virus could be so harmful. I guess traveling isn't really that safe!
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