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What's New:
- Avoiding Insect Bites
Many tropical diseases, such as malaria, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis, West Nile virus, L
- Websites
Some of the following links are on other pages of this website. I have brought them all together on
- Books
Below is a list of just some of the books that I have bought and found useful on my travels. I usua
- Suppliers
Links to the suppliers of the travel gear I use and recommend can be found through out this site. He
- Miscellaneous
Waterproof bags Used to separate and keep various items dry in your bag. Good for keeping valuables
 Firstly, I am not a doctor (but I play one on TV). Therefore, I am not qualified to give any advice on health or medicine.
This section is just a list of things I found out about travel and health whilst reading about various countries around the world. It also serves as a checklist of things to do before I go travelling and the order in which I need to do them.
For all travel-related health advice consult an expert (your doctor or travel clinic, for example). You can also read books and browse websites, but remember that [...]
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 The following articles list of some common and not so common illnesses and diseases to which you may be exposed while travelling.
It is probably not complete and may not even be accurate, so again, make sure you consult a qualified professional before travelling and don’t rely too much on the information contained herein.
The list is in no particular order but commonest health hazards tend to be nearer the top.
For each there is a section listing where in the world it is usually found, what is its cause, symptoms, treatment and prevention.
Most of the diseases and illnesses [...]
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 Inadequate sanitation and contaminated water are the leading cause of stomach upsets in travellers.
Unfamiliar foods, changes in routine, diet, all can cause digestive problems.
While some are are not life threatening, they are still annoying and can make you feel sick for several days.
Traveller’s diarrhea
Found – common amongst visitors to the developing world.
Cause – usually caused by unfamiliar bacteria and sometimes even anxiety. Generally, lasts a few days and no great problem.
Treatment – best to let normal diarrhea run its course, drink plenty of liquids, eat no solid foods on the first day. On the second day [...]
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 The sun is very intense in the tropics and at higher elevation. For every 5000 feet (1500 meters) in altitude gain, UVB radiation increases by twenty percent.
Travellers should wear a hat with at least a three-inch brim all around, and use sunblock with a sun protection factor of at least fifteen.
Wear sunglasses with ninety-nine percent UVA/UVB protection, and protective goggles are a must for preventing snowblindness at altitude.
Heat and humidity
Unacclimated travellers run a risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke if they try to do too much, too soon. Also, pricky heat may be a problem.
If [...]
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 Some problems with the cold aren’t necessarily associated with cold temperatures, for example, hypothermia.
Hypothermia
Cause – a life-threatening condition defined as body temperature below 95 F (35 C).
Temperatures do not have to be extreme to cause hypothermia, since water and wind can combine to rapidly chill a person. Most deaths from hypothermia occur in well-above freezing temperatures.
Symptoms – a pale, drowsy, confused, and cold victim. She may become unconscious.
Treatment – consists of seeking immediate medical help and warming the victim. Warm drinks are effective, as well as hats, blankets, emergency aluminum blankets which reflect body heat, and, [...]
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 These include the usual ones you would get at home, colds, sore throats, and other infections. Take proper medications, or try to get access to good medical care whilst abroad.
Jet lag
Cause – crossing many time zones in a short space of time.
Symptoms – disorientation, tiredness, and irritability for several days after a long journey.
Treatment – take time to become oriented to the local time and climate when you arrive. Outdoor activity and exercise can help. Some take Melatonin or a short-acting sleeping pill. Afternoon naps can help also.
Prevention – rest well before leaving home. [...]
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 Diphtheria
Found – rare in developed countries due to vaccination, but is still endemic in developing countries and the former states of the USSR.
Vaccine is recommended for those who will be in close contact with infected people in endemic areas.
Cause – a disease of close contact, a bacterial illness transmitted through droplets in the air.
Symptoms – sore throat and fever. Can be life-threatening.
Prevention – by updating your diphtheria vaccine.
Tetanus
Found – rare in developed countries due to vaccination.
Prevention – by the tetanus vaccine. A booster is recommended every ten years, perhaps even every five years for developing world [...]
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