International travel to exotic destinations can be exhilarating whether it is for business or leisure. However such travel is not without health risks.

Depending on the region of travel up to one-third of returning travelers can have medical problems. Diarrhea illness, fever and skin conditions are the most common ailments. To avoid these illnesses, you can protect yourself by seeking pre-travel advice from a qualified provider who will make pre-travel recommendations based on your medical history and travel itinerary.

Risk is different for each traveler. A business executive staying in Bangkok at a five–star hotel has a completely different risk profile from a college student who's going to backpack in rural Thailand, so the travel recommendations for these two people would be different, even though they are going to the same country.

Pre-travel preparation

Plan to see a travel health specialist four to six weeks prior to departure. Many travel immunizations need to be given in a series of shots given over a period of weeks.

To prepare for the travel visit know your medical conditions, medications, immunization history and travel itinerary travelers. For example certain medications may reduce the effectiveness of travel vaccinations. Because the risk for certain diseases can vary greatly from one city or town to another even within one country, it's important to know as much about your itinerary as possible.

When you review your itinerary, be sure to consider, location, duration, accommodations, and planned activities, including elevations, of locations visited. Based on this information you travel health provider will make recommendations on travel vaccinations and prophylaxis medication such as antimalarial medications. Travel vaccines are safe, effective shots travelers can get before visiting certain areas of the world that help protect them from serious illnesses and include:

Routine vaccination recommended for the general US population including the influenza vaccination

Recommended vaccinations where there is an intermediate or high risk for contracting certain illnesses such as Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Rabies, Japanese Encephalitis

Required vaccination needed to enter the country, such as yellow fever in certain parts of Africa and South America. Saudi Arabia also has a meningococcal vaccine requirement during the hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

During travel precautions:

During travel the best advice is to use common sense when it comes to food, water and safety. Food precautions include avoiding touching your face and mouth with hands that have not been washed, avoiding diarrheal illnesses. You may even want to carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Research which foods are safe to eat and make sure that you're drinking water that is either bottled, boiled, carbonated. Use insect repellent to protect yourself from insect borne diseases like malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, and other insect-borne diseases are present. Currently the Caribbean has an outbreak of Chikungunya.

Avoid animals that may have rabies, dogs and bats in particular. Be aware of recent travel safety advisories and tailor you trip to maximize your personal safety.

Post- travel

Even with the best travel precautions, some travelers may become ill after they return home. If this occurs alert your healthcare provider of your recent travel destinations.

Most importantly enjoy the adventure.

Kathleen Seneca, MSN, CNL, APN, is a nurse practitioner with the Hillsborough-based ID Care.

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