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Title image:  Getting ready for expeditions, resources and tips

Expedition Health and Saftey Series

Importance of Vaccines for Travellers

By Tracy Jacobson

Before planning a trip: It is important to protect your health and prevent illnesses when you are travelling to another country. As soon as you have confirmed your travel date, consult with your physician and travel clinic as to the vaccines and medications you will need for the area you are travelling to.

Do I need to get vaccinated? Is it worth risking your health and/or your life?. Take the time, spend the money and protect yourself. Some of the vaccines last many years, it is a worthy investment. Some vaccines are recommended for entry into many countries.

Which vaccine do I need? Your physician will have record of your vaccines. It is important to know when they expire and which ones you have had. Even though Berg Adventures provides information in your trip package as to the recommended vaccines, breakouts can happen at any given time so it is important to check with your travel clinic or visit a website with the current status of the country you are visiting.

Common Illnesses & Diseases

Hepatitis A and B:

What is Hepatitis A and B?
They are serious liver diseases. A virus which causes inflammation of the liver. They can cause liver disease, acute jaundice and even cancer.
What are the symptoms?
Some people can go weeks or even months without showing any symptoms. This can lead to your spreading as a carrier and not knowing it. Those who show signs may have some of the following symptoms: Fatigue; Joint pain; Fever; Abdominal pain; Appetite loss; Nausea; Vomiting; Diarrhea; Dark Urine; and Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).
How can I contract it?
Not just by travelling. You can contract Hep A or B in your own neighbourhood. A food handler could pass on Hep A in your restaurant meal; with a relaxing day at the spa you could contract Hep B from contaminated manicure or pedicure tools. Hep B can live on a surface up to 7 days and is not visible, even dentist tools if not properly sanitized.
How do I protect myself?
Get vaccinated! Always consult with your health care provider about your options.

Malaria:

What is Malaria?
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites. Malaria is a serious and potentially fatal parasitic infection that is passed by the bite of an infected mosquito and has no effective vaccine. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, including parts of the Americas, Asia, and Africa.
What are the symptoms?
The classic symptom of malaria is cyclical occurrence of sudden coldness followed by fever and sweating lasting four to six hours, occurring every two days in certain infections, while every three for other infections can have a recurrent fever every 36–48 hours or a less pronounced and almost continuous fever. Seek immediate medical attention at an emergency department if you have a fever or flu within three months after travelling in a malaria-risk area and emphasize your concern about malaria to the health care provider.
How can I contract it?
The parasite's primary (definitive) hosts and transmission (organism) are female mosquitoes. Malaria-risk infected areas are more prone in and after their rain season and in lower elevations. At high altitudes the mosquitoes do not survive.
How do I protect myself?
Consult your physician for a proper prescription for you. To date there is no vaccine for Malaria, but there are modern drugs used preventatively which you take prior, during and after your trip. Malarone being the most common as it has the least amount of side effects, though it does sometimes make a difference which area you will be in as to which drug you will be prescribed.
Wear protective clothing: long sleeves; long pants; treat your clothes with “deet” bug spray.
Check that your hotel/lodge provides treated mosquitoe nets for sleeping.

Typhoid

What is Typhoid?
Typhoid is a life-threatening illness caused by bacteria (Salmonella Typhi). It lives only in Humans. You are most at risk in the developing world.
What are the symptoms?
With typhoid fever usually have a sustained fever as high as 103° to 104° F (39° to 40° C). They may also feel weak, or have stomach pains, headache, or loss of appetite. Less commonly a rash of flat, rose-colored spots may appear. Severe illness can lead to bleeding or perforation in the bowels. The only way to know for sure if an illness is typhoid fever is to have samples of stool or blood tested for the presence of S. Typhi
How can I contract it?
Persons with typhoid fever carry the bacteria in their bloodstream and intestinal tract. Both ill persons and carriers shed S. Typhi in their feces (stool) which is spread by contaminated food or water.
How do I protect myself?
Prevention includes food and water precautions as well as vaccination. There are two types of typhoid vaccines available; a single dose of injectable vaccine protects for two years and an oral vaccine lasts for about five years. Selection depends on underlying health and amount of time before departure. Consult your travel clinic and physician for vaccine options.

Yellow Fever

What is Yellow Fever?
Yellow fever is a viral infection. Illness ranges in severity from a self-limited febrile illness to severe hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever.
What are the symptoms?
Infection may cause fever, chills, headache, muscle pain and may result in bleeding, organ failure and death.
How can I contract it?
Yellow fever is passed by the bite of an infected mosquito in some tropical areas of the world.
How do I protect myself?
Protection includes insect precautions (Malaria) and vaccination. Some countries require the vaccine for entry. You must be vaccinated 10 days or more prior to arrival for the vaccine to be considered effective. The protection lasts for 10 years. A special certificate is issued and should be kept with your passport and other important documents (for point of entry and departure of your destination).

Tetanus

What is Tetanus?
Tetanus is a serious disease that is caused by a bacterial toxin which affects the nervous system.
What are the symptoms?
Affecting the nervous system it can cause tightening of the joints and muscles {Tetanus is commonly called “lockjaw”}. Lockjaw is one of the most serious symptoms as it can lead to death by suffocation. Other symptoms; Headache; Fever; Difficulty swallowing; Stiffness in abdominal region; and Muscle spasms.
How can I contract it?
Tetanus is caused by bacterial spores found in dust, soil, and manure which can infect you through an open wound (a deep wound or even a pinprick).
How do I protect myself?
An adult who's never been immunized against tetanus should complete the initial tetanus series of three tetanus shots. The first two shots are given at least four weeks apart, and the third shot is given six to 12 months after the second shot. After the initial tetanus series, booster shots are recommended every 10 years. Although getting tetanus shots more frequently generally isn't harmful, it may increase the risk of soreness or redness at the injection site. A single dose of Tdap is recommended for adolescents 11 or 12 years of age, or in place of one Td booster in older adolescents and adults age 19 through 64.

For more information visit: “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” in US or Canada.