Health Problems After International Travel
Fever is one of the commonest health problem a traveler face after return from international travel. Other health problems that may occur after international travel are diarrhea, respiratory illnesses, and skin diseases. But there may also some problems like fatigue and emotional stress and these are usually ignored and commonly seen after long stay.
To diagnose medical and health problems of international traveler require some knowledge about geographical medicine (knowledge of diseases which are prevalent in a particular geographical area) and epidemiology and clinical presentation of infectious disorders. A geographic history of a traveler should be about exact itinerary, including dates of arrival and departure; exposure history (food indiscretions, drinking-water sources, freshwater contact, sexual activity, animal contact, insect bites etc.); location and style of travel especially urban or rural, first-class hotel accommodation or camping etc.; immunization history before traveling; and use of anti-malarial chemo-suppression.
Fever is one of the commonest medical problem after return from international travel. Though “fever from the tropics” does not always have a tropical cause, malaria should be considered first. Fever in a traveler who has returned from a malarious area should be considered a medical emergency because death from P. falciparum malaria can follow an illness of only few days. The chance of fever being of P. falciparum malaria is highest among travelers returning from Africa or Oceania and among those who become symptomatic within the 2 months after return.
Other causes of fever after return from international travel include viral hepatitis (commonly hepatitis A and E), typhoid fever, bacterial enteritis, arboviral infections like dengue fever, rickettsial infections (including tick and scrub typhus and Q fever), acute HIV infection, and amebic liver abscess.
Skin problems after international travel include pyodermas, sunburn, insect bites, skin ulcers, and cutaneous larva migrans. In those with persistent skin ulcers, a diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis, mycobacterial infection (tuberculosis of skin), or fungal infection should be considered. Careful and complete inspection of the skin is important in detecting the rickettsial eschar in a patient with fever or the central breathing hole in a “boil” due to myiasis.
Related posts:
- General Health Advice for International Travel
- Prevention of Malaria and other Insect Borne Diseases during Travel
- Prevention of Diseases During Travel
- Emergence of Communicable Diseases due to Travel
- The Travelers Medical Kit
- Diagnosis of Typhoid Fever
- Treatment of Traveler’s Diarrhea
- Prevention of Traveler’s Diarrhea
- Self-Treatment of Traveler’s Diarrhea
- Environment and Health: Broad Perspective
Whats up! I simply want to give an enormous thumbs up for the good data you have right here on this post. I will probably be coming again to your blog for more soon.