As we near the end of the year, many of us are prepping for our dream overseas holiday. Though, it’s sometimes forgotten that with dreamtrips, come deadly diseases. The home doctor experts at House Call Doctor have given the heads up for the main vaccines to check for before going abroad.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is one of the most common vaccine-preventable diseases in travellers. It is a liver disease common in developing countries with poor sanitation and limited access to clean water.
Symptoms:
- High fever
- Severe headache
- Neck stiffness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Drowsiness or difficulty awakening
- Joint pain
How it’s spread:
- Contaminated food or water
Where it is:
- India
- Africa
- Asia
- Central and South America
- The Middle East
Meningococcal
Although rare, Meningococcal disease is a potentially devastating infection. It’s hard to diagnose and spreads rapidly.
Symptoms:
- High fever
- Severeheadache
- Neck stiffness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Discomfort in bright lights
- Drowsiness or difficulty awakening
- Joint pain
How it’s spread:
- Close contact with an infected person
Where it is:
- Africa
Rabies
Rabies is present in many countries across the globe and, without appropriate treatment, is fatal.
Symptoms:
- Irritability or aggressiveness
- Excessive movements or agitation
- Confusion, bizarre or strange thoughts, or hallucinations
- Muscle spasms
- Seizures
- Weakness or paralysis
How it’s spread:
- A bite, scratch, or lick on an open wound from an infected animal, such as:
- Dogs
- Monkeys
- Cats
- Rats
- Bats
- Foxes
- Chipmunks
Where it is:
- Africa
- Asia
- Eastern Europe
- Central and South America
Typhoid
Typhoid is common in developing countries with poor sanitation and limited access to clean water.
Symptoms:
- Diarrhoea
- Headache
- Poor appetite
- Abdominal pain and peritonitis
- High fever
- Lethargy
- Intestinal bleeding or perforation (after 2-3 weeks of the disease)
How it’s spread:
- Contaminated food or water
Where it is:
- India
- Africa
- Asia
- Central and South America
- The Middle East
Yellow fever
Yellow fever can be a severe disease, which is why you need to be vaccinatedbefore legally entering some countries.
Symptoms:
- High fever
- Yellowing of your skin
- Liver and kidney malfunction
How it’s spread:
- Mosquitoes
Where it is:
- Africa
- The Caribbean
- Central and South America.
Hemant Kumar is a project manager at Tridindia with more than nine years of commendable experience in writing about LMS, translation, and IT. His unmatched talent and passion for digital marketing gave him the opportunity to work as a multi-tasking project manager at TridIndia’s sister company, Link Building Corp. Today, he contributes to the world by imparting knowledge on SEO, link building and internet marketing etc., that helps business owners grow their online business.
