Although you wouldn't know it from the weather, it's summer, which means vacation time. For those of you who plan to travel, you may want to be aware of some of the potential dangers hidden behind those innocuous, fun-filled trips abroad.
Travelers' diarrhea\nLet's start small. Travelers' diarrhea is a common yet uncomfortable ailment. To avoid it, make sure everything you eat is sanitary and thoroughly cooked. Poor hygiene in foreign restaurants could cause problems later. The risk of diarrhea is higher in most of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Mexico and Central and South America, so plan your trip wisely and think before you eat.
Altitude illness\nDo you plan on climbing the great Mount Kilimanjaro? Be cautious, or you could experience altitude illness, which is often accompanied by difficulty breathing. Venturing into high altitudes is not the only culprit. Harsh temperatures, increased ultraviolet radiation and decreased air pressure can also harm travelers. To prevent altitude sickness avoid drinking alcohol for the first 48 hours as you venture uphill and avoid ascending abruptly.
Mumps\nMumps is a virus transmitted through respiratory droplets or saliva. If you are traveling, the risk of exposing yourself to mumps remains high in industrialized nations such as the United Kingdom, which has had various outbreaks since 2004, and Japan, which does not mandate mumps vaccinations. Fever, headache and a swollen parotid salivary gland are some of the symptoms you might expect to have. Children younger than 12 months are more susceptible to the disease, so leave your cherished, younger siblings at home.
Schistosomiasis\nSchistosomiasis is a waterborne disease contracted through water infected with parasitic worms. Eighty-five percent of cases have been in Africa, specifically sub-Saharan Africa. You can become infected by swimming or bathing in contaminated water. Symptoms include fever, headache, diarrhea and more. No vaccine is currently available, so avoid swimming in sketchy bodies of water.
Histoplasmosis\nWhat if you could contract a nasty disease just by breathing? You can contract histoplasmosis from inhaling spores from soil contaminated by bat guano or bird droppings. Cases have been reported in North, Central and South America. The severity of symptoms depends on how many spores the individual has inhaled. Flu-like symptoms, including high fever, headache and chills, characterize many cases. So avoid bat-inhabited caves, or you might find yourself in a crappy situation in more than one sense.
Amebiasis \nHistoplasmosis is gross, but it's nothing compared to amebiasis, which is transmitted through fecal matter. Amebiasis is most common in tropical areas with poor sanitation, so protect yourself with adequate footwear when traveling on muddy surfaces. Amebiasis is most commonly diagnosed in travelers returning from South Asia, South America and the Middle East. Symptoms include cramps, watery or bloody diarrhea and weight loss.
Dengue fever\n"Tropic Thunder" may have been hilarious, but this tropic fever is no joke. Dengue fever is transmitted through a bite from an infected mosquito. People infected with the dengue virus often exhibit no symptoms, but dengue fever can be life-threatening in some cases. Fifty to 100 million people contract dengue worldwide each year, so watch out for those mosquitos.
Yellow fever \nLike dengue fever, you can contract yellow fever through the bite of an infected mosquito. Yellow fever cases mainly occur in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America. To guard against yellow fever, make sure you have received the correct immunizations and avoid the rainy season.
Chikungunya virus \nChikungunya virus is yet another mosquito-borne virus which has roots in tropical Africa and Asia. The virus causes chikungunya fever, which often leads to severe joint pain. The disease is rarely life-threatening.
Typhoid fever \nTyphoid fever may be the most serious illness on this list. The sometimes-fatal disease is often transmitted by the consumption of water or food contaminated by fecal matter. Major symptoms include high fever, headache, malaise and excessive weight loss. Consult a doctor about typhoid vaccinations before travelling, especially if you plan to visit Southeast Asia. Africa, the Caribbean or South America.
Eric Houpt, associate professor of internal medicine and infectious diseases, said in an email potential travelers should see a doctor or travel medicine specialist six weeks before travel to make sure their immunizations are up to date.
Meanwhile, the best advice The Cavalier Daily can give you is to avoid mosquitos and feces. We'll do our best, too.
- Information for this article was obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
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