Ahhh, summer is finally here. The sun is out, the grills are hot and people are generally just having fun. You may even be planning a family trip. And if you’re like me, you want to take your family to far and exotic lands with different sounds, smells and tastes. But no matter where your travels take you, be it St. Lucia, India, Costa Rica or even to Baja, certain precautions must be taken to ensure that you and your loved ones have a safe and enjoyable time abroad.
First, do some research about the country you’re visiting. Find out about current health concerns, if any, in that region of the world. This can easily be done through a quick Google search or through the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), www.cdc.gov . The CDC relates up-to-date health information and lets you do searches on different health-related topics. There is even a link to see what vaccines you may need to get before traveling, depending on where you’re going. We will discuss more on vaccines later. The importance of being informed of health risks is to be able to avoid certain traveling pitfalls when in a different country. Certain tropical countries are endemic to a host of diseases. A lot of these illnesses are transmitted through contaminated water and food. My advice would be when traveling anywhere in the world, stick to bottled (not filtered) water. Developing countries do not maintain potable tap water. Although very enticing, do not get tempted to eat or drink from street vendors for this reason. You may pay the price later. Make sure that all the water you consume is safe, including the water used when brushing your teeth. Also, if you’re in a restaurant and ice is served in a glass, make sure it’s made from bottled water. These simple measures are often overlooked and may make all the difference between you and the nearest latrine.
Finally, something about immunizations. Each region of the world has their own endemic diseases. For example, Malaria in Asia, Africa and China; Typhoid in Latin America, Africa and Asia; Yellow fever in Africa and South America; Meningitis and Japanese B encephalitis in Asia, just to name a few. Your necessity in receiving vaccines for one or more of the diseases listed is based on the particular region of the country you’re traveling to and your length of stay in the endemic area. These considerations should be discussed with your doctor prior to traveling.
I hope this information does not discourage the zealous traveler, but rather makes the traveler more informed and knowledgeable about health issues in developing countries. If you take simple precautions and talk to your doctor, your family trip will no doubt be one of rich and memorable experiences.
For more information, please call Town Center Family Health at 661-288-2321.