Suppose you get a broken leg necessitating immediate surgery, experience symptoms of malaria, or have a dental emergency, just to name a few, and, you are thousands of miles from home. Did you plan for the medical emergency? Most of us don’t. Prior to travel, call your health insurance provider and ask if coverage extends outside the borders of the U.S. What are the terms, limitations and cost of coverage. You may have to consider medical evacuation insurance that will cover emergency care overseas, transport to the nearest reliable medical center and back to the U.S. if necessary. This type of insurance is only available from independent agents not associated with your travel agent who handles the trip itinerary coverage but not medical emergencies. Internet searches such as “http://InsureMyTrip.com” will allow you to compare plans and customize your needs within your budget. Whether or not you are a traveller with health issues, planning for an “unplanned detour” can decrease the stress imposed when it happens. We never anticipate our home burning down but we carry the homeowners’ insurance anyway; we don’t plan on having a gall bladder attack while on the cruise, we need to plan for the “just in case” scenario anyway. Medical evacuation insurance saves time, worry and a boatload of cash if you ever needed it!

And, oh by the way, check the www.CDC.gov website for destinations that necessitate vaccination prior to travel and call us @ 703-961-0733.

The answer is that, although infant and childhood vaccines receive most of the attention, there are several immunizations for adults. Each year the Center for Disease Control (CDC) issues recommendations for adult vaccines.

Most adults know about tetanus but what about hepatitis A and B, influenza, travel vaccines, the new combination vaccine for pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, and shingles.

For current recommendations, follow the link to the CDC 2012 recommendations: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/AdultVaccines/

Can the U.S. government help me if I become disabled, incapacitated or seriously ill overseas? A U.S. consular officer can only assist in locating medical services and informing family back home.

Finding a reputable medical provider can be daunting in countries where English is not the primary language, there is social and political problems, and healthcare is scarce or non-existent. www.ISTM.org lists medical providers in over 50 countries. US embassies and consulates do maintain lists as well. Bear in mind, decent medical treatment for your particular issue could be hundreds of miles away and you must find our own transportation, sometimes separating you from the group with whom you traveled. Are you traveling alone? With a family of 6? Medical crisis and now a potential financial disaster. Still don’t think you need evacuation insurance? What is your comfort of risk?

The travel insurance you purchased with your tickets insures you for trip cancellation and the incidental baggage and transportation problems, most likely NOT medical care.  www.cdc.gov  does have a list of U.S. Based Air Ambulance or Medical Evacuation companies. You can compare various companies at www.insuremytrip.com

Define your level of comfort with the risk of your travel itinerary. Having a back up plan just makes good sense! Pennies a day= peace of mind. Get that extra insurance! 

However, let’s not get too complacent yet,  this could be only the beginning! But, hey, it’s never too late to get your flu shot. Especially true for new parents; newborns have little immunity and can be extraordinarily vulnerable to complications of the flu. Also, if you live with an immunocompromised person, if you care for children, elderly or ill people, its important to protect yourself AND them from the flu virus. Air, land and sea travelers have constant exposure to all virus’, especially the seasonal flu! The pesky virus is spread via droplets from the respiratory system of the infected person by coughing, sneezing, into the air, on to their hands and other surfaces within 5-6 feet of another individual. The virus affects the next victim, you, within 1-4 days!  Next thing YOU know, you have sudden aches and pains all over, maybe a fever, a dry cough, sore throat and just want to crawl into a corner for a couple of days of sleep!

Pneumonia, a complication from having the flu, can be potentially deadly for the medically fragile population such as those who live with chronic disease that are still in the work force, surgical patients, cardiac and respiratory compromised persons, the elderly, diabetics, infants and children, just to name a few.  Whether these folks are readily identified or not, its a good idea to protect ourselves and those around us.  Its affordable, available, safe and highly recommended! Contact us at www.HealthSmartVaccines.com and get your flu shot. If you already have, well, thanks for protecting us both!

Contaminated, raw or undercooked food, raw seafood, salad washed with contaminated water, icecubes and drinking water contribute to this illness.  If you think your destination is an “at risk” place, where there is a possibility that food and drink would not be safe, be prepared. Eat only thoroughly cooked foods, avoid salads and eat cooked veggies, Don’t save leftovers, don’t eat food exposed to outdoor heat or flies, drink and brush teeth ONLY with sealed bottled water. Consume only pasturized dairy products.

“Probiotics” and intestinal health has been all over the media. Unofficial, individual reports are positive for limited prevention of diarrhea!  Your trip preparation may include bringing over the counter probiotics and a few lightweight food items that will help with fluid replacement following diarrhea. Oatmeal packets, soup packets, dry Pedialyte® or CeraLyte®that you can add boiled or bottled water to. Salty crackers are good to have handy. If you have a fever or bloody diarrhea, seek medical help immediately. The WHO states handwashing alone can lower the incidence of TD by as much as 30%.

 Boil it, cook it, peel it OR forget it!

There are 5 known types of Hepatitis disease. Most travelers are familiar with Hepatitis A & B, the only 2 which are vaccine-preventable…. but what do we know about the others and can we get them during travel?

Hepatitis C is aquired by blood to blood and body fluid contact with an infected person or instrument such as needles shared by drug users. Travelers who use tatoo/piercing facilities, receive blood transfusions or organ transplants from poorly screened donors, or participate in surgical procedures overseas may be at risk.  Usually there are no symptoms, it is lifelong and can result in death. The baby-boomer generation is most at risk along with anyone who may have received a blood transfusion prior to the 1990′s. A blood test can confirm that a person has aquired Hepatitis C. There is treatment available.

Hepatitis D can only occur if a person already has Hepatitis B. Open wounds, blood and bodily fluid exchange with an infected person can result in acute or chronic Hepatitis D for which there is NO treatment.

Hepatitis E is an uncommon virus in the United States. Water contaminated with feces can be common in Africa, Central America, South America and parts of Asia and the Middle East. Hep E can be extremely serious for pregnant women and there is NO treatment.  Travelers should take care to avoid water from unknown sources. Drinking only bottled water, boiling or use of chlorinated tablets is the only way to avoid Hep E.

Hepatitis A is prevalent all over the world. Prior to the vaccine being available in the 1990′s,  it was a very common illness aquired during travel outside the US.  Mild to severe symptoms can occur following ingestion of food or drink contaminated with feces of an infected person. Never assume that other nations have the same strict food handling standards as we do in the US. Eat well cooked foods, stay away from raw salad and seafood unless sure of the source. Drink bottled water. Heat can destroy the virus, freezing does not!

Hepatitis B. Since the introduction of the vaccine in the early 1990′s, there has been an 82% decrease in reported hepatitis B infections in the US. Remarkable! Globally, about 2 billion have Hep B. Most have chronic infection, are carriers and many have died as Hep B can lead to cirrhosis and death. Travelers are at high risk. There may be NO “standard precautions” in facilities outside the US.  Contact with blood and body fluids during sex, medical procedures using contaminated instruments during medical tourism, dental procedures you didn’t expect or accidents in which you are hospitalized and may possibly face blood transfusion from unknown resources. You cannot tell by looking at someone they carry the Hep B virus, therefore BE PREPARED-GET VACCINATED!

It was previously thought that once you contracted pertussis, a life-long immunity ensued. However, there has been a resurgence of pertussis for several reasons.  First, we now know there was only temporary protection from reinfection. While we routinely immunized children and adolescents with Tdap (Tetanus, diptheria and pertussis), we reimmunized adults with “Td” leaving them vulnerable for pertussis.  Second, disease is only a plane/ship/car ride away and a traveler can be in close contact with an infected individual of any age, anywhere.  Unpresidented numbers of international travelers can transport diseases across continents within hours infecting communities. (Remember H1N1 in 2009?) And finally, some families have opted out of vacination for their children, leaving their children and countless others around them at risk for contracting pertussis and other vaccine preventable diseases. The World Health Organization and our own CDC has recommended a Tdap for all adults especially grandparents, child and healthcare workers, anyone who lives with or cares for immune compromised folks, and travelers. Ask your primary care MD about pertussis and when you travel call HealthSmartVaccines 703-961-0733 to discuss this and other recommended travel vaccines!

This experienced detective spells out important security issues and ways women can protect themselves while traveling!  The entire website is well worth a look. Happy trails!

For travel vaccine needs call HealthSmartVaccines 703-961-0733