Travel Health

Hi from Peru!

I am in Lima at present and finally have a little time to Blog.

It is the winter time here and it really gets chilly in the evenings. Riding around in a cab is quite an experience, kind of like being on a speeding race track with a cacophony of horns as background music. The price of the taxis is equally amazing, no more than $5 to go all around the city, I must admit the price is right.

This is the time of year when many people travel and I would like to talk about some of the things I advise my patients to do before they embark on international travel. There’s nothing like getting sick to ruin a trip, it will make you wish you had never gone in the first place.

Having a travel consult with your doctor is always a good idea and plan ahead, sooner is better than later. Try and get your consultation done at least 60 days before leaving as some vaccines like hepatitis A are only useful if you get both shots and they cannot be taken closer than 30 days apart.

Believe it or not the leading cause of illness in travelers is Diarrhea not exotic diseases like Yellow Fever or Swine Flu even though shots for these conditions may be useful. Diarrhea mainly occurs because travelers are exposed to bacteria that their systems are not familiar with not because the people are dirty. When foreigners come to the US they get Diarrhea too.

Why is Diarrhea so important? Well, let’s say you get Diarrhea then become dehydrated (especially in a hot country). You would then need to be taken to a medical facility where the first step would be to give you an IV, is the needle clean? Is the fluid sterile? You have no way of knowing how hygienic the facility is and all of a sudden a ‘minor illness’ becomes a big deal. There is a protocol that we give our patients to all but eliminate the likelihood that Diarrhea will spoil their vacation.

When you go to some countries you may need special medications, such as medication to prevent altitude sickness. This may be the case for example if you plan to come to Peru and go to Macchu Pichu.

Remember that allergy season is different in different places, for that reason and the possibility of reacting to different foods take along some Benedryl if you have allergies.

Your doctor can review your medical history and suggest Preventive Health strategies specific to your condition. There is a lot more to staying healthy abroad than just taking shots. As far as shots are concerned there may be many that are helpful ranging from updating your Polio vaccination to Meningitis depending on where you are going but some are 'no brainers' for everyone such as up to date Tetanus and Influenza shots.

If you are going to a mosquito infected area remember to pack some long sleeves and pants to wear after dusk, that’s when they tend to bite. Remember if the mosquitoes don’t bite you, you CANT get Malaria or a whole host of vector borne diseases. Its pretty basic and well worth bearing in mind.
On the subject of insect bites, my favorite insect repellant is Skinsensations by Cutter. It doesn’t smell, is not greasy and easily sprays on without making you feel hot. Most hardware and drug stores have it.

Finally, Don’t forget your Sunblock! It should protect against both UVA and UVB rays.

Hasta Manana!

As always wishing you the best of health .............. wherever you are!

Dr Tuakli