How to stay Healthy

Index




Some general remarks

Vaccines can prevent you from contracting some diseases, but it is important to remember:

Planning and Organisation

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that all travellers should be covered from diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and polio, as well as Hepatitis B, regardless of their destination. Since most vaccines don’t produce immunity until a couple of weeks after they’re given, it is advised to visit a physician a couple of weeks before you travel.
Make an appointment with your doctor or travel clinic to have a basic check-up and find out if any vaccinations or health checks are required at least 6-12 weeks before you depart.
Not all travellers to countries where there is a potential risk of infection need to be vaccinated but it is important that you discuss your personal travel plans with a doctor so they can determine the correct vaccinations for your trip.


Vaccines for some of the most popular destinations


Travelling with medicine

Before leaving home, you should check that your medications are legal in the country you are visiting. You can do this by contacting the country’s embassy or high commission, by looking at the website of the Australian Government.
Since the National Health Act was amended in 1999, it has been an offence to carry or post Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines overseas unless they are for your personal use, or the use of someone travelling with you.
There are restrictions on the amount of PBS medicine that can be carried or sent overseas. When planning to travel overseas with PBS medicine it is important that you:

If you intend to travel with large quantities of medicine, including over-the-counter or private prescription medications, you should ask your doctor, dentist or pharmacist to provide you with a letter explaining why you need to carry such quantities.
If you have to inject your medication it might be preferable to carry your own needles and syringes but you should check with the embassy or consulate of the country you are visiting to make sure this is acceptable. If you buy needles and syringes while overseas ensure you buy packs that are sealed and sterile. If you need to carry needles and syringes with you on the plane, inform your airline before you travel and if necessary, arrange a letter from your doctor explaining why you need to carry them.
It is important to be aware that some items purchased overseas may be packaged under a different brand name to those of the country of your destination. Keep an eye on the strength and active ingredients of similar-sounding medications overseas, they can vary.

The most common Vaccinations

Yellow fever
Yellow fever is a potentially fatal disease carried by certain mosquitoes in parts of South America and Africa. If travelling to these areas you should check with your travel clinic or doctor whether a vaccine is required.
Yellow fever vaccine is only available from approved medical practitioners and must be given at least 10 days before travel to infected areas. You can obtain a list of locally approved yellow fever vaccinations providers from the Department of Health and Ageing's state and territory offices. Their contact details are on their yellow fever fact sheet

Yellow fever is contagious and may be spread through by infected travellers, so if you are travelling to a country where yellow fever is a risk, you may need a certificate showing proof of yellow fever vaccination. Without this certificate you may be refused entry to some countries, or required to be vaccinated upon arrival.
On return to, if, within six days prior to your arrival, you have stayed overnight or longer in a declared yellow fever infected country in Africa or South America you will require a valid international yellow fever vaccination certificate.
The World Health Organization closely monitors reports of yellow fever infection and periodically publishes a list of countries where the disease occurs.

Diphtheria/Tetanus/Polio
Vaccination and validity: always recommended for far away destinations and Eastern Europe (also in East Europe)

Last minute travellers (=two weeks before departure) who have not received a standard vaccination before: 2 weeks before leaving there are 2 possible injections left. They protect you for a maximum period of 8 months.

Last minute travellers who are not going to diphteria endemic areas: If the trip is shorter than two months it is not necessary to get a DTP vaccination, except for persons who have never received the vaccination before. If your trip is shorter than 8 months only persons who have received just one DTP vaccintion need an extra one.

Background information: Diphtheria is a common disease in certain countries. This bacteria can cause a seriously swollen throat that makes it more difficult to breathe. If this bacteria gets into the blood it can infect the heart and lead to death. The bacteria can also cause serious skininfections, although this form of dipthteria is less serious. It is highly recommended get a vaccination against this disease.

Hepatitis A
Vaccination and validity: Recommended when travelling to almost every far away destination. The gamma globulin injection is only effective for a few months and works passively. Nowadays you can also get a vaccination called Epaxal. It works actively for a minimum of 10 years and maybe longer. You can also get a vaccination of Hepatitis A+B (Twinirix) all at once.

Background information: Hepatitis is a liver infection caused by bad hygiene or transmitted by infected water or food. It does not only exist in the tropics, but also in Turkey and East Europe.

Stomach typhus
Vaccination and validity: Often recommended for Asia and Latin America. There is a medicine that you can swallow and an injection.

Background information: It is a life threatening disease of the gastro-enteric channel. This disease is caused by the Salmonella typhus bacteria. This is an infection related to bad hygienes. If you have had your vaccination, it will only protect you for about 70-90%. Therefore, you still need to be careful with what you take in.

Less common vaccinations

Hepatitis B
Vaccination and Validity: a form of jaundice. Only high risk groups, (such as doctors, certain expats, and people who have intercourse with different partners) and travellers who are travelling longer than three months in an hepatitis B area need to get this vaccination. It is also possible to get the vaccination for Hepatitis A+B at once.

Last minute: It is possible to get an accelerated injection, although this does not give simmilar protection.

Background information: Hepatitis B is caused by a virus spread through blood to blood or through sexual contact. For example non sterile applied piercings, tattoos etc.

Japanese encephalitis
Vacination and validity: Recommended for people who are going to the countryside in the area between India and Japan.

Background Information: Japanese encephalitis is a virus infection that is spread by by mosquitos. People who are staying on the the countryside for a longer period during the season when the disease is spread run a higher risk.

Tuberculoses (TBC)
Vaccination and validity: sometimes recommended to people travelling for a long time to areas where TBC can reign.

Details: The procedure is very complicated. Therefore, consult your personal doctor.

Rabies
Vaccination and validity: Only recommended to around the world travellers and expats.

Details: expensive vaccin

Meningitis
Rarely given vaccination and hardly ever recommended

Cholera
This vaccination is very rarely given, but some countries do ask for a vaccinationstamp. This stamp is available at any vaccination institute.

Malaria

Malaria Facts

Types of Malaria
There are different forms of malaria

Malaria tropica
Malaria tropica is the most dangerous form of malaria. If not treated properly it can lead to death in a couple of weeks. Malaria tropica is caused by a parasite, called Plasmodium falciparum. The fever attacks are unpredictable.

If you take the malaria tablets as prescribed, chances of getting malaria tropicana are very slim. When travelling through resistent areas you have to be aware that that malaria can still strike.

Malaria tropica is very common in areas such as tropical Africa, South East Asia and South and central America.

Malaria tertiana
Malaria tertiana is a form of malaria caused by a parasite, called Plasmodium vivax and/or Plasmodium ovale. This disease is characterised by fever attacks that occur in frequent peaks of 48 hours. The parasites can stay in your liver and cause a “delayed first attack” months or even years later. Malaria tertiana can only be prevented by taking profylaxe.

Malaria tertiana can mainly be found in South East Asia, Central and South America and Ethiopia.

Malaria quartana
Malaria quartana does not differ from malaria tertiana, except for the characteristic fever attacks that occur every 72 hours (instead of every 48 hours.) Malaria quartana is caused by a parasite called Plasmodim malariae and is a very rare disease.

At the moment Malaria quartana is prevented by decent malaria tablets.

Malaria Symptoms
General symptoms of a malaria attack

Malaria can occur as a severe attack of cold shivers and fever, but also as a feverish feeling with headaches, but without any clear fever. It usually starts as a fever attack, cold shivers, muscles aches and headaches. This symptoms will return frequently every few days, if the infection is not treated. It can also be accompanied with vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing and jaundice.

It is very important to know that Malaria can spread to different parts of the body in as short as 24 hours!!! Any cold or fever that lasts longer than 2 days should be considered as malaria, untill the contrary is true. If you think that you might have malaria you have to get your blood tested in the hospital or by a doctor. Malaria can be treated very well as long as it is discovered on time.

Malaria tablets (Profylaxe)
Which malaria tablets are most suitable for you depends on your destination and the period of your stay. There are different forms malaria in each area and in some areas mosquitoes can be are resistant to anti malaria tablets.


Paludrine (Proguanil-hydrochloride)

Nivaquine (chloroquine)

Lariam (Mefloquine)

Malarone: (Combination of Atavaquon-Progunail)

Doxycycline:

Remaining drugs

Test-kits for malaria
Developed for people who are travelling to countries that do not have sufficient medical care. It can be used to diagnose malaria falciparum (and sometimes more), but it is not a decent replacement for normal malaria identification.

What to do during a long stay in a malaria area
There are two options:

How to Stay Healthy?

1. Acclimatize
What ever kind of medicine that you take, do keep in mind that for hundreds and hundreds of years people still get ‘tropical frenzy’ (due to food, climate, tiredness, new impressions etc). Take into account that some people just cannot stand tropical conditions. This is something you don’t have to be ashamed about. On your arrival take it easy for a few days, so that you can adjust to the new conditions. Do not start doing heavy duties, make sure that you have a relaxed programme.

2. Travel sickness
Anti motion sickness pills are usually indispensable in every medical box, even though you think that you might never get nauseous. A bus ride through the mountains of Nepal, a boat ride in a tropical storm or a flight during rough weather can even break the toughest guys. Also the fact that you will be able to read a book on an eight hour bus ride on a winding road will make anti motion sickness worth carrying with you.

3. Sun, Heat & Dryness
A basic rule for travellers who are going to travel to the tropics is that you need to drink a lot of water, this way you will avoid a lot problems.
Make sure that you urinate enough. This is the best indicator for dehydration. Diarrhoea is an important cause for dehydration. A package of Oral Rehydration System (ORS) can work miracles. If you suffer from dry eyes during your flight, bring some cucumber slices and put them on your eyes, or you can buy sleeping glasses/eye mask.


4. Sun allergies & Sun buns
In countries near the equator, such as Australia and Indonesia, there are very big chances of getting your skin burned. Every skin gets burned if it is exposed to much to the sun. How long this will take to happen depends on what kind of skin you have and where you are (in the mountains and around the equator the sun is much more there). The protection factor (Sun Protection Factor) mostly indicators how long you can stay under the sun. You can duplicate the time you would like to stay under the sun by applying more of the sun cream. During the first days your skin will get burned within 5 minutes without sun cream. If you use sun scream factor 15 than you can stay for about 75 minutes without getting burned to much. Do not take a lot of risk when you are travelling, for your own safety make sure you have done enough research. A bag pack might not feel very nice when carrying it, if you are burned. When burned you consume more heat.

5. Sun stabs
This comes around because you are loosing a lot of fluid (without you noticing).
Symptoms:

Treatment to dizziness

6. Food
Do not eat vegetables or fruits that are not washed. You might come across it when you are on the way. You might consider the possibility of becoming a vegetarian or being very selective with where when and what kind of meat you eat.

Make sure that you always have enough food when you are travelling (it can happen that during a slow bus ride, slow boot ride, closed shops or restaurants you find yourself short of food or drinks).

7. Drinking water & water purification
Purifying water has become less and less necessary. Even in the most remote areas, you can buy bottled water. They might not be cheap but water is some that you do not economize, especially in tropical areas, drinking water is very essential.
Are you going to the jungle or to mountainous areas, climbing a volcano or are you going to an island where they have limited water supplies, a water purification equipment, it is also the best way to purify tap water.

How can you purify water?

Tips:

8. Infections, accidents, Wounds