Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Don’t travel to Asia without getting immunized with Japanese Encephalitis vaccination!

Japanese Encephalitis is one of the serious viral diseases caused due to bite of a mosquito. It can cause swelling in the brain, which affects the entire nervous systems and cause severe damage to entire body.

Symptoms of this viral disease may appear after five to six days. The signs and symptoms vary from one person to the other. Some of the common symptoms are as follows:

  • Headache
  • Fever
  • Felling of tiredness and body ache
  • Drowsiness
  • Vomiting
  • Nausea
  • Confusion
  • Disorientation

Apart from this, people suffering from this issue also experience sleepiness, weight loss and irregular heartbeats.

When this virus enters in the bloodstream of an individual, it starts replicating itself in different types of cells. This virus attacks cells of nervous system, causing severe symptoms to appear.  This disease is so severe that it may cause death of a person, if not diagnosed and treated properly.

How doctors diagnose Japanese Encephalitis?

The physician will ask patients about symptoms and health problems they are experiencing. On considering complete medical history and symptoms that appear in patients, the doctor may ask patients to undergo different types of tests, out of which, the most common are as follows:

Blood tests- The blood tests are performed to check for the presence of virus cells in the body.

CT scan- The CT scan gives an idea about functioning of vital organs in the body.

MRI Scan- MRI scanners make use of magnetic fields and radio waves to form images of the parts of the human body.

Japanese Encephalitis is common in Asian countries. That is why, it is essential for you to get yourself immunized with travel immunizations before traveling to Asia. Taking such precautions is necessary to prevent falling sick on a trip or vacation.

Some of the Asian countries do not have adequate medical facilities to treat different types of diseases. Falling sick in such countries can cause a big trouble. Japanese Encephalitis demands early diagnoses and effective treatment by an expert physician.

Therefore, those who are planning vacation in Asian countries should visit a travel clinic to know more about diseases prevalent in these countries. Moreover, the experts in these clinics also get people immunized with vaccinations that will keep them healthy in a foreign country.

In addition to this, they will also give valuable tips for diet and clothes that people should wear in these countries.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Travelling to Egypt? Did you take the required vaccination?

Egypt is the most famous travel destination place because it has many ancient monuments, which attract people from different parts of the globe.

The ancient pyramids, spectacular sunset, the Nile drifting and the red sea have made it the most popular destination with travelers.

If you are thinking to go to Egypt, there are certain vaccinations that you need to get prior 4 to 6 weeks the trip, in order to allow vaccines to get affected in the body and starts preventing it from life threatening disease.

In case, even if you have less than 4 weeks, you should still see a doctor for needed travel vaccines in New York, anti-drugs, other medications and information that helps to protect you from the illnesses present in Egypt.

Following vaccines that are advised by doctor:

Hepatitis A-
Hepatitis A disease damages the liver and to protect against from this infection, it is important to get Hepatitis A vaccine. Children travelling to Egypt are supposed to be 1 year or older and gets two doses of Hepatitis A and adults that are 19 years older are also given two doses of this vaccine, if travelling to Egypt. Besides age factor, certain other factors are taken into consideration by doctor before delivering this vaccine to traveler. To name a few of those factors are allergic reaction, pregnancy and other health issues like diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure etc.

Tetanus, Diphtheria and Polio vaccination- These three vaccines are given in one shot to adults. However, children are given this part of immunization during their childhood. Tetanus is bacterial disease that occurs in the body through cuts and grazes, diphtheria is also a bacterial disease that is caused because of contaminated clothes, and physical contact, polio is caused because of contaminated water and food. 

Typhoid-
Caused by bacteria called Salmonella Typhi. It leads to high fever, weakness, stomach pains, headache, loss of appetite, and rashes. Two vaccines that help prevent typhoid are inactivated typhoid vaccine and live typhoid vaccine.

Hepatitis B- Likewise, Hepatitis A is injurious to health and affects liver, Hepatitis B affects liver. Though, it is not always life threatening as acute illness like loss of appetite, diarrhea and vomiting, jaundice and pain in muscles, joints, and stomach occurs first and then causes things to become worst (liver damage, liver cancer, death), if not received the vaccine for the same.

Rabies- It is a viral disease caused by mammals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. If not taken preventive measures for this disease, it can lead to disease in the brain and death.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Are you current on all your immunizations, if planning a trip to South America?

South America is rich in breathtaking scenery. There is something or the other for the traveler to experience in South America.

However, before planning a trip to America are you immunized with all necessary vaccines?

Firstly, you should check with your family doctor about your past immunizations. This will help verify which all vaccines you have so far and how many booster vaccines you require.

After judging all the aspects, now if you need to get vaccines to travel to South America, you must visit a travel clinic at least six weeks prior to your departure from NYC. This is because travel immunizations need time to become effective in the body.

Following are few vaccines that you must acquire before travelling to America:
  • Hepatitis A: This disease is commonly found in South America. It is caused majorly because of contaminated food and water. However, primarily reason of Hepatitis A is contaminated aspect only, but this disease can also occur from personal contact as well.

  • Hepatitis B: It is caused through sexual contact and blood transmission. However, vaccine shots of Hepatitis A and B virus, if obtained within six months helps one to be safe from getting infected.

  • Typhoid: This disease is not commonly prevalent in South America, but yes, some parts of New York are still exposed to this disease. Therefore, to be on a safe side it is important to get typhoid immunization.  

  • Yellow fever: This is the common illness in South America. It is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito. No treatment is there if one is affected by yellow fever, but it can be preventable if one gets vaccinated before traveling to jungle regions or areas which are suspected with yellow fever.

  • Rabies: Travelers who are in contact with wildlife or stray animals, or exposed to climbing, they might be exposed to rabies disease. Therefore, before exposing to such areas, it is must to get vaccinated.

  • Malaria: If traveler is staying in America for extended period, visiting rural areas or destinations like jungles, then they are at a risk of getting malaria. Therefore, one must take preventive measures to be secured from getting exposed to malaria. 

Travelers usually tend to miss this vaccine because they have an illusion that this disease is not dangerous, but one must not take risk of their life and get themselves vaccinated.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

‘Prevention is better than cure’-Does it implies to travellers?

Travelling to remote locations means you will be prone to diseases. Therefore, before travelling to any location, it is must for a traveller to get vaccinated.

The Centre of Disease Control and Prevention, advices travellers to get immunized, before a trip. This because it is vital to be protected against infections or diseases like yellow fever, cholera, hepatitis A and B, and typhoid to name a few.

However, there are few factors that travel clinic doctor take care of before giving travel vaccinations to travellers in NY or anywhere else.

The foremost thing that doctor asks the traveller is location or country where he or she is visiting. Depending on the place where traveller will head, doctor will provide the relevant vaccine to him or her. 

Next factor to consider is season. This is because many diseases are dependent on the certain period of time. For example, rainy season in some area of location is ought to provide diseases like malaria which can be life threatening.

Besides season, the area where one is staying is also must to consider. This is because if traveller is staying in a rural location he or she is more prone to diseases as compared to traveller who will be residing in an urban area. The quite obvious fact behind it is rural areas are not clean and can tend to make people ill.

Next factor is age and health of traveller. If person visiting the remote location is of old age and is prone to some medical problems then he or she has higher risk of getting infected to diseases prevalent in remote locations.

People who are suffering from immune deficiencies or have some major illness like HIV, they cannot get themselves vaccinated because travel vaccines can cause health issues to them. However, doctor will let the traveller know all the facts beforehand but to be on a safe side voyager must also tell each and everything clearly to the travel doctor.

Last but not the least factor is activities in which one is involved. For example, a health professional, who has come to Africa on a medical trip, he or she will be prone to diseases because they would have to come in touch with various patients which might be infected with diseases prevalent in Africa like yellow fever.

Monday, January 27, 2014

You’re in perfect shape, and no disease can affect you, right? Wrong!

While it’s true that the immunity level of your body plays a great role in how you tackle diseases and infections, there are certain illnesses that your body just doesn’t have the capacity to deal with effectively. This is because it’s never come in contact with them before.

The reason is simple; you live in a geographical area, where these diseases don’t prevail. As soon as you visit a place, where they thrive, you are instantly prone to acquiring them.

This is why in case you are planning a trip, abroad, in the coming future, you ought to prepare your body for the diseases present there, today. If you live in or around New York, there are travel clinics in NY that can guide you as to what diseases prevail in which parts of the world, and increase your immunity by giving you a vaccination, for the same.

Even if you are going on a business trip, don’t make the mistake of thinking, you’re safe because you’d be spending most of your time indoors, and won’t come directly in contact with disease prone environment. Rather, ensure that you reveal a detailed version of your travelling plans to the doctor at the clinic, so he can give you a suitable doze, and if necessary, more vaccinations than one.

Most fatal diseases either never existed, or have been eradicated here in the US. If you’re an American resident, you are not at a great risk of Hepatitis, Typhoid, Meningitis and the likes of such devastating diseases. While the health system of America is advanced, and very stable, that is not the case with other countries, especially in Asia and Africa.

The good part is that getting immunized before travelling in neither expensive nor time consuming. In a matter of just a couple of hours, and just a few dollars, you’d be prepared to enjoy your outing, whether it is for the purpose of business or leisure.

Besides, in many cases, you are legally obliged to get immune before visiting certain specific areas, abroad. The effect of each vaccination is long, so that works out perfectly even in case of frequent travelers.

The internet is the most convenient source of locating the best place to get vaccination from, so get browsing, right now!

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Are you aware of the cost of travel vaccines?

If you are travelling to remote locations, you need to get required vaccinations. Especially when travelling to countries like Africa where higher health risk is involved, it is must for a traveler to be immunized.

Vaccines should be taken prior to the trip, which means at least four to six weeks before migrating from United States. The list of vaccines, which a traveler might have to get, is as follows: TD (tetanus/diphtheria) MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), typhoid, Japanese Encephalitis, rabies, polio, meningococcal meningitis, Hepatitis A, and Hepatitis B.

However, getting of vaccination largely depends on various factors like country where one is travelling, location of stay, activities in which one will get involved and vaccines that a traveler has taken so far.

Besides all these factors, the number of vaccinations that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends it is obligatory for travelers to get. For example, if traveling to sub-Saharan Africa, you need to get yellow fever vaccine. If in case, traveler fails to get the vaccine, then he or she is not allowed to leave United Stated; and not permitted to enter by the respective country, where traveler is visiting.

After determining all these factors, doctor will provide travelers relevant travel vaccinations in NYC. Talking about the cost of vaccines, here is detailed list of it:

Yellow fever shot costs about $130 to $375, which is the most expensive shot out of all vaccines.
  • Rabies shot cost between $400 and $1,000.
  • Typhoid vaccination cost about $40 to $150 per shot.
  • Meningitis vaccine costs $45 to $125 per shot.
  • Hepatitis A shot cost is between $45 and $110.
  • Hepatitis B shot is given in three different shots and each shot costs $45 to $80.
  • For children polio shot is must, which costs between $10 and $30.

The doctor will provide the vaccines to traveler at his or her travel clinic. Once shots are given, doctor will provide certification, which will be proof of traveler that he or she is vaccinated and fit to enter the country. However, before making a choice for clinic, make sure you have chosen a reliable and reputable clinic of your vicinity.

Therefore, if you are planning to go abroad then make sure you have got yourself vaccinated because travelling to risk prone areas is very hazardous for you and your family.