Summer is a good time to travel abroad.
According to Statistics Korea, the number of outbound travelers in July and August 2010 marked 2.27 million, about 20 percent of the annual global trotters.
But not many people are aware that they could be subject to various infectious diseases, with some quite serious.
Vaccination makes some of these illnesses preventable to some degree. Taking into account that two weeks is needed for inoculation to take effect, now may be the right time for summer holidaymakers to start visiting the nearest clinic or pubic healthcare center for those shots
(Bloomberg)
1. Against hepatitis A: The Hanyang Medical Review notes that the chance of getting hepatitis when travelling overseas is 1,000 times higher than of catching cholera and 100 times that of typhoid. Of all hepatitis strains, hepatitis A is the most common, with 60 percent of hepatitis patients diagnosed with it. The journal notes that viral infection is not limited to developing countries.
The hepatitis A virus is carried through contaminated food and water. There is not much in terms of treatment other than hospitalization and rest.
Global pharmaceutical and vaccine maker GlaxoSmithKline advises people visiting places other than the U.S., Canada, Western Europe, Japan, New Zealand and Australia to take extra care and those visiting developing states should get vaccinated.
“You need the inoculation twice, which could protect one from the threat of hepatitis for a long period of time,” said Dr. Choi Jung-hyun of Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital.
2. Against sepsis: Youngsters going on a working holiday program often face various forms of injury. A lack of management could make him or her vulnerable to sepsis.
The most effective way is to be inoculated every 10 years with the Tdap vaccine. By getting the vaccine, one can also prevent pertussis, or whooping cough.
3. Against measles: If you are planning a trip to the U.K. and other European countries this summer, measles is definitely one to watch out for. There have been 256 measles cases reported as of March this year in the U.K. and a considerable number are expected to have caught the disease elsewhere in Europe.
Those over 65 years old or have chronic illnesses such as diabetes, should be vaccinated against measles before they leave the country.
For more information about endemic and other health issues during overseas trip, visit the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, (http://travelinfo.cdc.go.kr.)
By Bae Ji-sook (
baejisook@heraldcorp.com)