The traveller’s medicine It is a specialty that is gaining momentum as awareness of endemic diseases and health increases during vacations or work trips.
The recommendations that specialists make in pre-trip consultations are linked to:
– Vaccination against diseases
– The care that must be taken into account with water
– Contaminated food.
To that is added the first aid kit, and considerations about temperatures and cultural behaviors that could be considered “at risk” in other locations. In addition to the general recommendations for each area, the traveler’s doctor takes into account our medical history at the time of plan a trip.
In the case of the prescription of vaccines, the status of the Vaccination Calendar of each family member. Therefore, the recommendation of applications is individualized and depends on various factors of the traveler as well as the destination and type of trip or the time of the year in which it is made.
Vaccines that are usually applied for travel purposes are: Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, Tetanus-Diphtheria (Double Adults), Poliomyelitis, Anti Meningococcal, Typhoid Fever, Hepatitis B, Rabies, Flu, Anti Pneumococcal, Triple Viral.
–
What are endemic diseases?
Are those infectious diseases that permanently affect, or in certain periods, a region. They are diseases that persist for a certain period of time, potentially affecting a significant number of the fixed or transitory population.
Prepare with time
It is recommended to visit the specialist in traveller’s medicine About eight weeks before the trip to have time to follow all your recommendations.
For example, the application of the vaccine against yellow fever It must be done at least 10 days before the trip. Remember that this vaccine is applied once in a lifetime. On the other hand, the suggested intervals between vaccines and the recent applications they have received regarding the official calendar should be taken into account, especially in children under 2 years of age and older adults.
Most frequent destinations and vaccines against endemic diseases:
Brazil: Many areas of Brazil have yellow fever. Currently in Brazil there is an outbreak of Measles. Caution for women in the first trimester of pregnancy due to Zika risk.
Spain: Vaccines of the national calendar. Special importance to the triple viral vaccine due to the increase in measles cases in Europe.
Mexico: Typhoid fever and Hepatitis A depending on the destination.
Chile: Vaccines of the national vaccination calendar.
U.S: Vaccines of the national vaccination calendar. Special importance to the triple viral vaccine due to an increase in measles cases.
Local tourism
Do I need specific vaccines to travel in Argentina?
Vaccines of the national vaccination calendar. Some areas of Corrientes and Misiones (including the Iguazu Falls) have an indication of a yellow fever vaccine.
(*) Florencia Cahn is an infectologist (MN 114,399), a member of the Vaccine Foundation and the Vaccine Commission of the Argentine Society of Infectology.
– .
