Skip to main content

Health Advice for International Travelers

  • Chapter
Prevention in Clinical Practice

Abstract

Nearly 20 million Americans embark on international travel each year. Five million of these travelers visit undeveloped areas of the world with unfamiliar health hazards. Numerous vacationers participate in adventurous travel involving back-country treks, rafting trips, or natural-history tours that often result in exposure to food-, water-, or insect-borne infections. Unfortunately, many of these travelers are poorly prepared for the particular health risks common to these areas. For example, fewer than half of American travelers to malarious areas use appropriate malaria prophylaxis.1 As a result, imported malaria and other infectious diseases of travelers have increased dramatically in the past decade.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Reilly, P. C., Jr., Reilly, M. C., Catino, J., et al.: High-risk travel and malaria. N. Engl. J. Med. 296: 1536, 1977.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Kendrick, M. A.: Study of illness among Americans returning from international travel. J. Infect. Dis. 126: 684–685, 1972.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Steffen, R., Van Der Linde, F., and Meyer, H. E.: Risk of illness in 10,500 travelers to the tropics and 1300 to North America. Schweiz. Med. Wochenschr. 108: 1485–1494, 1978.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Peltola, H., Kryonseppa, H., and Holsa, P.: Trips to the South—a health hazard. Scand. J. Infect. Dis. 15: 375–381, 1983.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Reid, D., Dewar, R. D., Fallon, R. J., et al.: Infection and travel—The experience of package tourists and other travelers. J. Infect. Dis. 2: 365–370, 1980.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Lobel, H. O., Campbell, C. C., Schwartz, I. K., et al.: Recent trends in the importation of malaria caused by P. falciparum into the U.S. from Africa. J. Infect. Dis. 152: 613–617, 1985.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Steffen, R.: Typhoid vaccine, for whom? (letter). Lancet 1: 615–616, 1982.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hargarten, S. W., and Baker, S. P.: Fatalities in the Peace Corps. JAMA 254: 1326–1329, 1985.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Banta, J. E., and Jungblut, E.: Health problems encountered by the Peace Corps overseas. Am. J. Public Health 56: 2121–2125, 1966.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Centers for Disease Control: Health information for international travel 1984. Morbid. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 30(suppl): 1–28, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kilbourne, E. M.: Risk factors for heat stroke. JAMA 247: 3332–3336, 1982.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. American Diabetes Association: Vacationing with Diabetes. American Diabetic Association, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Gianella, R. A., Broitmanm, S. A., and Zamcheck, N.: Influence of gastric acidity on bacterial and parasitic enteric infection. Ann. Intern. Med. 78: 271–276, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Galina, M. P., Avret, N. L., and Emhorn, A.: Iodides during pregnancy. N. Engl. J. Med. 267: 1124–1127, 1962.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Schwartz, J. S., Bencowitz, H. Z., and Moser, K. M.: Air travel hypoxemia with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Ann. Intern. Med. 100: 473–477, 1984.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Mann, J. M., Bernier, R. H., and Hurman, A. R.: Poliomyelitis vaccination for the international traveler. Am. Fam. Physician 26: 135–139, 1982.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Centers for Disease Control: Yellow fever vaccination. Ann. Intern. Med. 100: 540–542, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Snyder, J., and Blake, P. A.: Is cholera a problem for U.S. travelers. JAMA 247: 2268–2269, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Morger, H., Steffen, R., and Schar, M.: Epidemiology of cholera in travelers, and conclusions for vaccine recommendations. Br. Med. J. 286: 184–186, 1983.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Taylor, D. N., Pollard, R. A., and Blake, P. A.: Typhoid in the U.S. and the risk to the international traveler. J. Infect. Dis. 148: 599–602, 1983.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Kendrick, M.: Viral hepatitis in missionaries abroad. J. Infect. Dis. 129: 227–229, 1974.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Centers for Disease Control: Systemic allergic reactions following immunization with human diploid cell rabies vaccine. Morbid. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 33: 185–187, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Pappaioanou, U., Fishbein, D., Dreeser, D. W., et al.: Antibody response to pre-exposure human diploid-cell rabies vaccines given concurrently with chloroquine. N. Engl. J. Med. 314: 280–284, 1986.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Centers for Disease Control: Imported malaria among travelers. Morbid. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 33: 388–390, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Appleton, B., Wolfe, M. S., and Mishtowt, G. I.: Chloroquine as a malaria suppressive: Absence of visual effects. Milit. Med. 138: 225–226, 1973.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Editorial: Malaria prophylaxis for longterm visitors. Br. Med. J. 287: 1454–1455, 1983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Hatton, C., Bunch, C., Peto, T., et al.: Frequency of severe neutropenia associated with amodiaquine prophylaxis against malaria. Lancet 1: 411–413, 1986.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Centers for Disease Control: Adverse reactions to Fansidar and updated recommendations for its use in the prevention of malaria. Morbid. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 33: 713–714, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Editorial: Pyrimethamine combinations in pregnancy. Lancet 2: 1005–1007, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Health Hints for the Tropics, 8th ed. Supplement to Tropical Medicine and Hygiene News, The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Washington, D.C., 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Larson, E., Roach, R. C., Schoene, R. B., et al.: Acute mountain sickness and acetazolamide; clinical efficiency and effect of ventilation. JAMA 248: 328–332, 1982.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Gangarosa, E. J., Kendrick, M. A., Lowenstein, M. S., et al.: Global travel and travelers’ health. Aviat. Space Environ. Med. 51: 265–270, 1980.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Ericson, C. D., and Dupont, H. L.: Travelers’ diarrhea: Recent developments, in Current Topics in Infectious Diseases 6 (J. S. Remington and M. N. Swartz, eds.): McGraw-Hill, New York, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Tjoa, W. S., Du Pont, H. L., Sullivan, P., et al.: Location of food consumption and travelers’ diarrhea. Am. J. Epidemiol. 106: 61–66, 1977.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Steffen, R., Van Der Linde, F., Gyr, K., and Scher, M.: Epidemiology of diarrhea in travelers. JAMA 249: 1176–1180, 1983.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. DuPont, H. C., Sullivan, P., Evans, D. G., et al.: Prevention of travelers’ diarrhea. Prophylactic administration of subsalicylate bismuth. JAMA 243: 237–241, 1980.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Sack, D. A., Kaminsky, D. C., Sack, R. B., et al.: Prophylactic doxycycline for travelers’ diarrhea. N. Engl. J. Med. 298: 758–763, 1978.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Dupont, H. L., Galindo, E., Evans, D. G., et al.: Prevention of travelers’ diarrhea with trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim alone. Gastroenterology 84: 75–80, 1983.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Murray, B., Alvarado, T., Kim K.-H., et al.: Increasing resistance to trimethoprim-sulfa among isolate. E. coli in developing countries. J. Infect. Dis. 152: 1107–1112, 1985.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Graham, D. Y., Estes, M., and Gentry, W.: Double-blind comparison of bismuth subsalicylate and placebo in the prevention and treatment of enteriotoxigenic E. coli-induced diarrhea in volunteers. Gastroenterology 85: 1017–1022, 1983.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. DuPont, H. C., Reves, R. R., Galindo, E., et al.: Treatment of travelers’ diarrhea with trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole and with trimethoprim alone. N. Engl. J. Med. 307: 841–844, 1982.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Johnson, P. C., Ericcson, C. D., DuPont, H. L., et al.: Comparison of loperamide with bismuth subsalicylate for the treatment of acute travelers’ diarrhea. JAMA 255: 751–760, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Effersoe, P.: Check-ups after tours of duty to the tropics. Scand. J. Infect. Dis. 9: 137–138, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Brown, K., and Phillips, S. M.: Tropical diseases of importance to the traveler. Annu. Rev. Intern. Med. 35: 59–84, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Wolfe, M. S.: Management of the returnee from exotic places. J. Occup. Med. 21: 691–695, 1979.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Smith, R.: Health advice for travelers, in Branch, W. T., Jr. (ed.): Office Practice of Medicine. Saunders, Philadelphia, 1987, 1264–1276.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Centers for Disease Control: Health Information for International Travel. Morbid. Mortal. Wkly. Rep., August 1985. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, HHS Pub. No. (CDC) 85-8280.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1988 Plenum Publishing Corporation

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Smith, R.P., Wolff, J.A. (1988). Health Advice for International Travelers. In: Becker, D.M., Gardner, L.B. (eds) Prevention in Clinical Practice. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5356-0_20

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5356-0_20

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-5358-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-5356-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics