Travel Health
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Travel Health
Even for the seasoned overseas traveller there is a unique excitement buzz that starts well before the arrival at the airport or the cruise terminal.
Hope my travel insurance is good enough?
Have I got my passport and visa ready?
What about my traveller’s cheques or enough Vietnamese Dong?
I better go see my Doctor to make sure I have enough of my blood pressure scripts or I might need an extra few months of my pill…
Yep – there’s plenty to think about and the plane hasn’t even taken off!
But there is one aspect of the overseas trip that is so often neglected – what about those funny bugs and bacteria that are waiting for you as soon as that plane lands or cruise liner docks? The good old aussie belief “She’ll be right mate” is not respected by these bugs.
These bacteria and viruses are waiting in lots of places – looking for the next human host to take them on.
Food and water – its storage and preparation – is by far the biggest source of potential mischief, unwellness and grief. Agents like Hepatitis A, Typhoid and E. coli will do their best to upset your ‘Trip of a Lifetime’.
Then there’s those mozzies who aren’t selfish – they’ll give you Malaria, Dengue, Japanese Encephalitis and even that scary one called Yellow Fever.
Most of us have heard of the traveller who’s been waiting a lifetime to get to Macchu Picchu in Peru – only to have to turn back agonisingly so close because they were hit by altitude sickness.
So many of these potential dangers can be avoided or limited by a visit to Capalaba Medical Centre. Whether it be preventative vaccinations, back-up antibiotics or antimalarial therapy and preventative measures – all of these can be covered at the Centre when you book your travel appointment.
Just remember:
- It’s never too late leading up to your trip to visit the Doctor. The saying goes “You can even do something on the way to the airport” though typically 4 – 6 weeks is most ideal.
- Don’t let “luck” be your best weapon
- Just because your mate or sister had no troubles does not mean you may be so fortunate
- Please think seriously about getting a tattoo overseas
- Dr John Craven is an Accredited Yellow Fever administrator. Ideally you need to have this vaccine 10 days before you enter your Yellow Fever destination country
- Please bring your tour itinerary with you on the day of your appointment.
Your overseas trip is meant to give you lifetime memories for all the right reasons.
Types of Health Issues
Yellow Fever
If you journey to certain countries in Africa or South America you will be required to demonstrate evidence of vaccination against Yellow Fever on entry to subsequent countries – including returning through Australian Customs.
There are two essential reasons to receive the vaccine. The first is for your health as this life threatening disease does not have a cure. Secondly, it is also to try and prevent the spread of the disease into countries whom may also have similar mozzies that carry the virus.
Care needs to be taken administering the vaccine as there are certain people for whom extra care has to be taken. These include those over the age of 65, pregnant mums, other medical conditions or those potential Travellers on certain medications or with certain allergies.
Dr John Craven is registered to administer the Yellow Fever Vaccine saving you a journey into the hectic City to visit one of the Travel Clinics there. Close to home so you save on petrol and no parking fees.
Malaria
Malaria was part of ancient Egypt and continues to be one of the leading infectious causes of death and permanent disability for humans with close to one million dying from Malaria last year. This is despite continuing efforts at controlling mosquito numbers and educating people about mosquito bite prevention.
Love or hate him – former Microsoft’s Head Honcho, Bill Gates donated over $500 million dollars last year in an attempt to eradicate Malaria –primarily in his sponsoring of developing a vaccine.
To the Australian traveller going overseas to places that include Africa, India, South-east Asia, Pacific Islands and regions of South America, discussions with one of the Capalaba Medical Centre Doctors at your pre-trip appointment can be invaluable in greatly reducing your chances of contracting this disease. Choices include mosquito bite avoidance, preventative medication taken during your trip or even measures of self-treating the disease if felt to have become infected.
Dengue
Despite great efforts to find preventative medication like in Malaria or a vaccine to stop the Dengue infection in the first place, this Mosquito-borne infection continues to run amuck.
Where it also escapes preventative measures is that many-a-traveller will do the right thing and apply Mosquito repellent – but only as the sun goes down. However, the cheeky little Mosquito vector does all its buzzing, dancing and biting during day light hours. Our travellers often neglect this time even though their day time bush trekking may in fact leave them more vulnerable.
Awareness, covering up and repellent remain the key to its prevention.
Hepatitis A & Typhoid
These 2 buddies often hang out together and prey on our apathy around approach to eating and drinking on holidays. Anywhere where food preparation standards are sub-optimal, the Hepatitis A virus and the bacteria Salmonella typhi can have life long detrimental effects and even result in death.
Not ignoring personal hygiene and food awareness, they are both so preventable with appropriate vaccination. As these 2 buddies often hang out in similar areas, there is a combined vaccine that can be administered as a single shot right up close to departure that will give you on 3 years protection. Crazy not to!
Traveller’s Diarrhoea
Many names it boasts itself as – Bali Belly, Thai Tummy, Dodgy Vindaloo, and Montezuma’s Revenge.
It can be so variable from a ‘couple of loose squirts’ to the poor traveller who can’t move out of his or her resort room for 2 days or even the dreaded admission into the scary Third World Country Hospital severely dehydrated with blood in their diarrhoea…
Most travellers will have an itinerary that does not afford to be left behind and while their fellow travellers continue on their journey.
Even though most of our travellers give thought to looking for bottled water, washing their hands, asking for no ice in their drinks and trying to avoid the leafy vegetables or undercooked foods, the dreaded diarrhoea can hit anyone.
Besides measures at prevention, the most important aspect of Traveller’s Diarrhoea is the need to treat it – and treat it early! Your visit to the Capalaba Medical Centre seeking travel advice will generally see you leaving with such advice, but also prescriptions for the required medications, as well as other pre-travel medicine options.