Alex Baskous, M.D., M.P.H

Certified in Traveler’s Health ISTM

Certified in Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travel Health ASTMH

Before journeying off to exotic places for pleasure, work, or charitable purposes, consider the medical implications involved. Do you need vaccinations, preventative medicines, or advice about local conditions? Will the climate or altitude be challenging for your health? Do you have a plan about what to do if you should have health problems during travel? Do you know what situations to avoid in the area where you will be traveling? Do you know what symptoms should bring you to see a doctor during your travel or after your trip is over?

If you decide to consult a travel medicine specialist about such issues, try to make your appointment well in advance (4 to 6 weeks) of your trip, as vaccinations series can take time to administer and to become effective. Please also be sure to bring all of your old immunization records to eliminate ambiguity about previous immunizations as much as possible. Be prepared to discuss any underlying health issues that you have and any medications that you are taking. As much as possible, be sure to bring with you knowledge of your itinerary and length of stay in each of the locations that you will be visiting.

The recommendations for travel to various countries are constantly changing and are constantly updated. Standards from previous years may no longer be standards now. The Center for Disease Control website (www.cdc.gov/travel) contains helpful information. Other useful websites are the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (www.astmh.org) and the International Society of Travel Medicine (www.istm.org). A good textbook is the Travel and Tropical Medicine Manual by Jong & McMullen - ISBN 0-7216-7678-2. There can be contraindications in the various vaccines recommendations where a vaccine may actually present more of a danger than the chance of contracting a condition - sometimes a knowledgeable physician can assist in over-riding a requirement or can present alternatives for your consideration.

It is a big, wide, wonderful world out there, with many fascinating places to see and interesting things to do. However, in the midst of our enthusiasm and excitement, we must not neglect the health aspects of travel.