Wednesday, August 7, 2013

The Afterthought That Should Not Be: Japanese Encephalitis Vaccination



Every year here in the United States, especially in New York City which many consider the capital of the world, more than 60 million tourists visit coming from countries all around the world. It is an incredible number that many would be surprised to learn about, but considering the 100 million+ people that leave this country to travel, whether it is for business or for pleasure, sometimes health concerns and the conditions of the environment they are visiting becomes an afterthought.
 Take Asia for example. Many people are fascinated by the beaches, the major historical landmarks such as the Great Wall of China and Tiananmen Square, but many are unaware of their vulnerability to certain epidemics that are existent. Japanese Encephalitis is one of the most common viruses that is prevalent throughout most of Asia and certain parts of Africa (specifically the northeast and the sub-Saharan) and is also one of the deadliest with no known cure for it. If an individual who is infected does not seek medical attention of any sorts in time, the virus can become fatal. The virus is transmitted through mosquitoes. Symptoms that accompany the virus are flu-like (headaches, fever, malaise) in its first days of infection but this is during its incubation period which lasts between 5 to 15 days.
Once the virus advances to the encephalitic stage, the symptoms worsen greatly causing neck stiffness, cachexia (loss of weight due to loss of appetite, fatigue), hemiparesis (the complete weakness of one side of the body), convulsions and increased body temperature to critical levels (100.4 to 105.8 °F). Neurological damage can be severe as well including swelling of the brain, seizures, and long-term nerve and brain damage which in turn can lead to mental retardation and even coma. The risks of Japanese Encephalitis varies depending on the individual’s destination, duration of visit, season of the year, and planned activities.
            As with many other viruses that have no cure, vaccination is being highly recommended to prevent infection especially for travelers. Many of those who take the Japanese Encephalitis vaccination are bestowed with life-long immunity to the virus. A couple of minutes at an appointment to receive vaccination is definitely worth it. Especially if you are traveling this summer to the far-east or are a visitor from Asia or other countries where the virus is prevalent and are planning to return there at some point in the summer later in the year.
It is very important to take the vaccination 6 weeks before you travel so the vaccine can be given time to work through the body. Side-effects are not severe and range from swelling and redness in the area of the vaccine shot to fever. The vaccine’s effects may last between a one to three year duration and there is no evidence that the effects last beyond that, so boosters are recommended every three years for individuals at risk.
            It is a priority to never let health risks become an afterthought. Of course, this doesn’t mean that we are all of sudden going to live in a state of paranoia. On the contrary, this is a means to take care of your health which as I have said before is the most precious yet the most sensitive entity we have. Many times, individuals become ill when least expected and don’t know how or when it occurred. Due to the fact that many illnesses in their primitive stages display flu-like symptoms, it is hard to detect whether the illness is a common cold or something else and Japanese Encephalitis is no different. Vaccination is considered one of the most important factors in preventing infection. For more info, visit us at our website at www.travelclinicny.com or call us at 212-696-5900 to schedule an appointment if you are considering vaccination at a certified NYC travel clinic. A clean bill of health is always bliss!

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