Planning To Travel Outside United States

If yes, have you got yourself vaccinated? Coming back home with a deadly disease, which would put adverse effects on the health of your family members and you, or for that matter on the community has increased the importance for vaccinations.

Visa authorities’ not just recommends, but has made it a stringent rule for travelers to get vaccinations. This is why during checking at the airport, one is not permitted to go till the time he or she shows the vaccination certificated provided by the travel clinic doctor.

So, if you are travelling to any of the below mentioned countries, get aware of the diseases and vaccines required to visit the respective countries:

Africa

Yellow fever is common in Africa, which is a life threatening disease. Travelers visiting any location in Africa must get vaccinated as per the guidelines provided by the visa authority government.

Europe

Travelling to counties like United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Norway are dream for many, but visiting to such countries also is a health risk as Hepatitis A and B, as well as rabies are common in the European countries.

India

Hepatitis A and Typhoid are common afflictions in India, which are caused because of contaminated food or water.

Mexico

Food and water contamination causes Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B or Typhoid, Malaria, which though might not sound deadly but its effects are not less. If not taken preventive measures, it can cause serious health issues.

Bahamas

Majority of rural areas in Bahamas are wide spread with Hepatitis A and Typhoid diseases. Contaminated food and water is the main cause of the diseases here.

China

Visiting China means one is under the risk of Hepatitis A and Typhoid. Additionally, Hepatitis B, Encephalitis and Malaria are also common here if one is visiting Xinjiang province.

South America

Hepatitis A and Typhoid are common diseases here in this country. In addition, one can also be exposed to Hepatitis B, Malaria and rabies. Therefore, before visiting to any of the countries in South America like Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Panama, make sure to get immune from such deadly diseases.

No matter whichever country you are travelling to, speak with your physician approximately four to six weeks prior to your trip. This time is generally same for all travelers because vaccines take time to show its effect in the body and make body immune from unwanted diseases.

Diseases, You Must Get Vaccinated For Before Traveling

Many of us travel to other countries for various reasons such as holiday, business trip etc. When we plan a trip, we think of everything, where we will stay, places to visit etc. However, most of us do not realize about the dangers of different diseases, we might catch in other countries.

In our home country, we get shots of different vaccines that make us immune to diseases of our area. But, when we go out of our nation, we are not immune to new viruses or infections. For preventing illness, we need protection from these dangers. Getting vaccines shots before traveling can protect us from various viruses. If we get vaccination before traveling, then we become immune to those diseases. Before entering any other country, we must research about these different risks.

This research can guide us about the risks of illness and infections etc., so that we can get prepared for them. For necessary shots, we can find clinics that provide travel vaccinations in cities like New York City. At these clinics, anyone can get vaccinated before visiting another nation.

Dangers of some diseases are same in most countries, which are:

Yellow fever – It is very common in countries of South America and Africa. People who are planning a trip to tropical or sub-tropical areas of these places must get vaccination before going there. For this fatal fever, some nation has a policy of compulsory vaccine shots. Without the certificate, you cannot enter their boundary. Once you get vaccine for this, it will last for ten years.

Typhoid – This disease is caused by infected eatables and drinks. It is common in the areas of Africa and South Asia. It can be prevented by getting vaccine before traveling. Still, one needs to watch for risky food or beverages. Travelers need these shots in every few years if they are constantly visiting these areas.

Japanese Encephalitis – It is common in areas of East and South Asia. It can be prevented by vaccine injections. This fatal infection is caused by the bite of mosquitos. People who keep visiting risky areas must get their shots renewed in every few years.

These vaccine shots are different for people of different age and sex. Before traveling to other nations, we must consult with our physician and discuss about various risks. Physician can guide us about it and recommend vaccination for us and our families. After getting vaccinated, we can freely enjoy our trip without worrying about risks of sickness.

Get Vaccination For Rabies Before Traveling To Other Countries

When people plan a trip to other countries, most of them are not aware of the risks of different diseases. Out of our country, we are not immune to every virus or bacteria. We get shots for various diseases in our country in other places; we are not immune to their local viruses.

We can easily catch their viruses and get ill. Rabies is one of these diseases.

It is a disease, which is caused by another animal by scratching or biting. If an infected animal, scratches or bites human, the virus in the saliva of that animal enter human body. Its viruses are rabies virus or Australian bat lyssavirus. It can cause inflammation of the brain. Its symptoms usually starts showing in few weeks to a month. In some cases, it can takes to three months to show the signs. This time depends on the time a virus takes to reach the central nervous system.

Symptoms – Early signs of rabies are fever. Sometimes it is a tingling sensation at exposure. In coming months, symptoms increase to the fear of water, violent movements etc. In many cases, signs like confusion, paralysis, anxiety, or loss of consciousness are also noticed. Patients become unable to move parts of the body and start hallucinating. This disease is fatal. After 2 to 10 days of first symptoms, most of the patients die.

One of its main symptoms is fear of water. This sign comes in the later stages of rabies when patients start showing panic from water. They cannot quench their thirst and start panicking even in the sight of water.

Animal – Animals that can cause this viral disease are cats, dogs, coyotes, squirrels, cattle, bats, foxes, monkeys, raccoons, skunks, wolves, normally yellow mongoose. This virus is usually present in saliva of the infected animal. Human to human transmission is very rare.

Vaccination – Chemist Louis Pasteur and physician Émile Roux developed a medicine for rabies in 1885. The advanced version of this vaccine was developed in 1967.

People who are planning to travel to the risky areas must get the vaccination. In these areas, there is risk to get this disease while there is no proper medical care is available. You must find clinics, which are providing travel vaccinations in NYC (or in the city, you live).

People who will be traveling to other countries or working with animals must get this shot. This vaccine can save them from the risk.

Know The Risks Of Japanese Encephalitis

Japanese Encephalitis is a viral diseases transmitted by mosquitos, which carries a Japanese encephalitis virus. It affects humans as well as animals. It cannot be transmitted from human to human. It is transmitted by mosquito, which belongs to Culex tritaeniorhynchus and Culex vishnui species.

Symptoms – Most of the patients infected by this virus do not show any symptoms. From 250 infections, only one develops into encephalitis. Between 1 to 6 days, symptoms like headache, fever and uneasiness may appear in patients. After this stage, symptoms like lack of appetite, neck rigidity, weakness, cachexia, tremors, hemiparesis, convulsions starts appearing. Temperature of body is raised to 38–41 degree Celsius.

These signs can lead to coma. It can be fatal also.

This disease can cause lifelong damage if it hits central nervous system. It can cause emotional liability, deafness, and hemiparesis. Person who suffers from it get lifelong immunity. There are mainly three vaccines for Japanese Encephalitis - SA14-14-2, IC51 and ChimeriVax-JE. No particular treatment is available for this disease. It is common in the countries of Southeast Asia and East Asia. Rural areas are more at risk in this disease.

First vaccine for Japanese Encephalitis was produced in Japan in the 1930s. It was validated for use over the years like in Taiwan in 1960s and in Thailand in 1980s. With vaccination, it is controlled in many countries like Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.

Prevention – To prevent this disease, you must avoid mosquito bites. Wearing full-sleeved clothes can also help, or wear clothe that cover your body. If you are staying in an area, which is at risk, use mosquito repellent. Stay in those areas where you are away from mosquitos. At night, use bed nets while sleeping.

For the travelers who are planning a trip to south and East Asian countries must get the vaccination prior to the trip. In this area, the risk of getting Japanese Encephalitis is very high.

Research about those countries where you will be traveling and collect the information about the risks of various diseases.

Contact your doctor or a travel clinic for further help

Discuss it with the physician and get to know about the vaccinations you will receive

Make it clear with the doctors about any allergies you have, so that you don’t get allergic reaction to vaccine shots

Take all the precautions you need to prevent it

You can find a travel clinic in NYC or in the city, you live to get proper guidance.