Health and Immunization Information for Travelers to India

With a cultural history over 4,500 years old and the world’s second largest population, it’s no wonder that India has become an increasingly popular destination attracting travelers for both business and pleasure.  From the Taj Mahal to the Himalayas, there is much to see, do and learn.  But before you go, there are important health-protecting preparations to be made; travelers need travel immunization to India, procure prescriptions, and educate themselves about potential health risks.

With regard to vaccinations, the Center for Disease Control recommends that travelers to India receive the immunizations against hepatitis A and B and Typhoid.  Those travelers who expect to spend time in rural areas are also advised to get vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis and rabies.  Most people in the United States receive a measles or MMR vaccination as children, and while measles is no longer an active disease in the States, it is still prevalent in India and many other countries, so talk to your doctor about whether you’re up to date on this and all other routine vaccines; some recent cases of polio have been reported in India as well.  It is recommended that travelers are immunized four to six weeks before they leave, so plan ahead!

But essential travel health information isn’t just limited to vaccinations.  Travelers visiting nearly all areas of India, including urban areas like Delhi and Bombay, could be exposed to malaria, and so are advised to undergo an antimalarial prescription drug regimen before and during their time in India; note that Chloroquine is not effective against the strains of malaria present in India and some other South Asian countries, and should therefore not be used as an antimalarial treatment.  Again, most antimalarial drugs need to travel through the bloodstream for several weeks before they take effect, so visit your travel health provider early.  Travelers should talk with their physicians about their specific travel itinerary.It is important for travelers to purchase the antimalarial drugs they will need for their time away while they are still in the United States, as some drugs produced outside the US do not meet FDA standards and have adverse side-effects, contain contaminants, or are altogether ineffective.  The Center for Disease Control advises travelers against using risky antimalarial drugs, particularly Halfan, unless they have already contracted malaria and has no other available options.

The same rules apply for any other prescription medicines you may take on a daily basis; plan to bring enough for your entire trip, as you may not be able to refill your medication abroad.  It is also a good idea to pack your preferred over-the-counter drugs, such as anti-nausea, anti-inflammatory, allergy medication, sunscreen and insect repellent, since availability will vary, particularly in rural areas.

Other diseases widespread in India for which there are no vaccines available include dengue and avian flu.  The CDC recommends preventative measures (insect repellent and avoiding contact with local bird life, respectively) as the means of protecting oneself from these diseases.  The CDC also advises travelers to the South Asian region to be careful about their food and water intake to avoid food poisoning, and, if they do plan to visit those majestic Himalayas, to pay attention to signs of altitude sickness.  Symptoms include insomnia, nausea, headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite and confusion, and should be taken seriously; untreated altitude illness can be fatal.

As you can see, there’s a lot to think about when planning a trip, so it’s important to visit a certified travel health provider for treatment and advice before you go. Whether you need travel immunization to India or any other far-off destination, if you’re New York based check out the Travel Clinic of New York. At the Travel clinic NYC doctors specialize in travel consultations, vaccinations and prescription medications for travel, and offer flexible hours and treatments tailored to fit your specific itinerary.

Five types of malaria prophylaxis vaccination drugs available for travel protection

Malaria has been extinct in the United States since the early 1950s. Thanks to intense government interventions in the early 20^th century, contracting malaria within the U.S. is now almost impossible.

What is not impossible, however, is catching the sickness in another country and carrying it back into the country. Every year, about 1,500 United States travelers bring malaria home with them.

If you know the country you are traveling experiences malaria outbreaks, you must seek the proper malaria prophylaxis, or, medicines that prevent malaria. Nobody living in the United States should visit unindustrialized nations or rural parts of the world without looking into getting a travel vaccination. Even if you’re originally from the country you plan on visiting, you are not immune to its local diseases. People who don’t take preventative measures to protect their health while abroad are putting their bodies at risk for infection.

For malaria, there are five types of malaria medicine available for travelers, each with different benefits and issues:

Doxycycline
This inexpensive medicine can be taken a day before taking off, which can be very convenient for travelers who do not visit a travel clinic at least two weeks before leaving. But this cheaper brand has common side effects such as stomach ache and skin sensitively. It may also trigger yeast infections in women who are prone to them.

Atovaquone/Proguanil (Malarone)
This drug can also be conveniently taken only one to two days before landing in your destination country, but it tends to be more expensive. However, unlike its cheaper counterpart, Doxycycline, Malarone affords little to no side effects.

Primaquine
This is the final daily medicine available that can also be taken one to days before leaving. It’s different in that it is specifically designed for the P. vivax species of malaria. If the area you plan on traveling to carries this species of malaria, then Primaquine is right for you.

Chloroquine
If you’re taking a long trip somewhere, this pill is convenient because it is only taken weekly. It is also safe for pregnant women.

Mefloquine (Lariam)
Just like Chloroquine, this drug is taken weekly and is safe for pregnant women. Also similar to Chloroquine, travelers need to start taking Lariam two weeks before leaving the country.

These drugs cannot be taken by everybody and are not efficient everywhere. People taking other medications or that have certain health problems need to speak with a physician about possible complications. There are also parts of the world resistant to certain types of malaria medication. For example, Chloroquine will not protect travelers going to Brazil, Afghanistan and many other countries.

Before you leave the country, meet with a travel physician that will help you decide which malaria prophylaxis is right for you. For medication that yields the fewest side effects, plan on starting the medicine two weeks before taking off. You may also need another type of travel vaccination for diseases such as typhoid, hepatitis A and hepatitis B, which are common in many parts of the world.

Meet with Dr. Slava Fuzayloff, a travel clinic NYC physician located at 274 Madison Avenue, for a complete evaluation. To learn more about him and his services, you can visit travel vaccination. Don’t let malaria end up as a bad souvenir you bring home with you; get the proper preventive medicine.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Plan Your Next Vacation at a Travel Clinic

Have you ever traveled flown? Sure enough, most of us know what it’s like to travel by car, train, or bus, but not everyone has used a plane.

Airplanes, for the most part, are preferred only for far travel, whether nationally orabroad. As we board, we’re hopeful for that vacation soon to come or the next adventure about to begin, but what we fail to realize oftentimes is that being on the plane is a break itself.

Buildings become toy blocks, parks look like small patches of farmland, and the people disappear from view in a few seconds. Aside from the initial air sickness, the rest of the flight is generally smooth, and all you mostly see are the cotton candy soft clouds and an endless baby blue hued sky.

            Too quiet for you? Whether fortunately or unfortunately, you can always run into some turbulence while in the air. With lights flashing seatbelts on, frightened crew gripping the railings, and a suspenseful heightened sense of fear, you’ll have that adrenaline pumping before you even land.

            That and along with the view, you get complimentary food and drink (doesn’t always happen in the hotel). Smiling stewards and stewardesses wish you well, all the while you can recline back in your seat, watch the movie playing, or listen to music. Nowadays, you can even bring the laptop with you for internet access, or then again, just sleep. And this is all before the actual vacation starts. (Gasp!)

            Before you book your next travel flight though, make sure that if you’re flying internationally, you get your travel vaccines early. Travel clinics will make sure you’re ready to enjoy the trip as well as the plane ride.

            Start today: our travel clinic is located at 274 Madison Ave, Suite 304, New York, NY.  For more information, check out travel clinic NYC.  Don’t worry, you’ll be on the flight before you know it.  

Travel To Cambodia To Experience Breathtaking Angkor Wat The Magical Temple Complex & Prudent Protection Via Inoculation

For the non-denominational spiritually-minded amongst us, nowhere on Earth conjures such mystical feelings as the famed temple complex at Angkor Wat, Cambodia. A simple gaze at its spectacular geometrical towers against the bright sun-streaked sky (or even better: under the yellow moonlight of a star-studded evening) and one feels closer to whatever deity he or she currently holds closest to their heart. There is a mysterious aire to this destination, as if the prayers and esoteric beliefs of millions of ancient devotees are somehow synergized directly into its strange and secretive stone carvings. However, in this era of non-arcane points of view and the almost-complete failure of mystery schools for the knowledge of medical schools, a visit to a travel vaccination clinic may offer better protection than a talisman or amulet of your particular divination when visiting this complex complex.

This priceless and shining jewel of Cambodia is the largest Hindu temple in the world, dwarfing others by great magnitude. Its iconic shape and structure adorns the national flag and is known worldwide for its pilgrims. In fact, this twelfth century labyrinthine religious place is still a prime destination for pilgrims of not only the Hindu faith—but for millions of others who are absorbed by its aesthetic beauty, respect for its culture, and veiled-but-profound sculptures of deities, demigods and demons. Cambodia is a region of the world still infused with magic. Unfortunately, their reliance on this mystical way of life may have contributed to its high infant mortality rate, almost nonexistent industrialization, and its high ranking as a source of infectious disease. For anyone planning on traveling to this spiritual paradise it is highly recommended that they visit a travel vaccinations clinic four-to-six weeks before the beginning of their trip to help protect against contracting one or more of Cambodia’s dangerous diseases.

                                                                       

According to all reigning disease specialists—including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—the sheer number of infectious diseases still continuing to be contracted in Cambodia compiled can create quite a frightening list. Things often look worse on paper than they do in the real world, so remember that if Cambodia is calling for business or pleasure, for religious reasons or any other, a simple vaccination or two can protect you against becoming infected with any or all of its insidious sicknesses.

The list of diseases virulent in Cambodia that a vaccination may be recommended for at a travel clinic of your choosing include:

Hepatitis A

This is a viral disease that interferes with the liver’s functioning and is spread through ingestion of food or water contaminated with fecal matter.

Hepatitis E

A water-borne viral disease that also damages the functioning of the liver.

Typhoid fever

A bacterial disease spread through contact with food and/or water contaminated by sewage or fecal matter.

Malaria

A worldwide killer, Malaria is caused by the parasitic protozoa Plasmodium which is transmitted to humans through the bite of the female mosquito. The interruption of blood supply to the brain can cause damage to vital organs and death.

Dengue fever

A mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated more with urban living than jungle and that begins with a sudden fever and head pain.  Death occurs in approximately five percent of cases.

Japanese Encephalitis

A mosquito-borne (Culex tritaeniorhynchus) viral disease associated with rural areas in throughout all of Asia. Can cause paralysis and/or coma and death rates of this insidious disease can be as high as thirty percent of those acutely infected.

If travel to the wondrous Angkor Wat, Cambodia is in your future, please get to a licensed travel clinic for an in-depth consultation with a board-certified doctor regarding what vaccination (or vaccinations) would be best for you. This decision can be best made by a medical professional who will closely peruse your itinerary in order to pin point the most dangerous diseases that may be in your vicinity.  This is calculated through season, age, general health of the traveler, etc. and should only be made by a certified travel doctor.

If you are in NYC, please log onto Cambodia vaccination for more information on the city’s premiere travel clinic of its type. Call 1-212-696-5900 to arrange an appointment. They are discreet, affordable, friendly and conveniently located just blocks from Grand Central Station. Enjoy your trip.

Historical Lessons: Travel Clinic Before Traveling

The world has seen disease since the beginning of time. The earliest known epidemics was observed in Egypt 1650 BC and lasted about a century. One of the most famous pandemic in modern times leads back to the 2009 swine flu scare. No matter the time or place, lives were lost and humanity suffered.

The Black Death, smallpox, typhus, measles, yellow fever, dengue fever, cholera, influenza, trypanosomiasis, HIV/AIDS, SARS, Ebola, polio, malaria, tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Swine & Bird Flu. History has claimed millions from widespread infections. Swollen lymph nodes, rampage of the body using the host’s immune system, traumatizing rashes, raised fluid filled blisters, delirium, muscle pain, kopik spots, the list of symptoms goes onward. Sound very pleasant?

Luckily, with the help from vaccinations, smallpox was officially declared eradicated from human society in 1979. With the aid of other immunizations either from birth or routinely implemented other diseases like typhus and measles are rare. Nonetheless, they won’t work unless you actually get the shot.

So why take the risk? We live in a century of tablets, smartphones, and medicine for just about everything. And while the United States of America face few life threatening epidemics, not every country is as fortunate.

If you’re heading internationally for your next vacation, consider hitting up a travel clinic beforehand. Make sure that you have your routine vaccinations updated and you take the necessary shots before heading to a disease-infested country. Though smallpox is gone, others like yellow fever and AIDS are still prevalent. If anything, learn from history and get immunized!

            Want to find a travel clinic? We have one located at 274 Madison Ave, Suite 304, New York, NY if you’re interested. For more information, head over to travel clinic. 

The ABCs of Travel Vaccination

Getting ready for a big trip can be busy and confusing, especially if you’re going somewhere new or far away.  Luckily getting the right vaccinations is as easy as ABC.  In fact, you only need to remember one letter to keep all your necessary vaccinations straight: the letter R.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) organizes vaccines related to travel into three categories: Routine, Required, and Recommended. Keeping informed and up-to-date on the information for each category will make the travel vaccination process as quick and painless as possible as getting a shot can be!

Routine: Chances are if you grew up in the United States you received most or all of the listed routine travel vaccines, including hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus shot, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella.  Depending on your age, you may’ve also been vaccinated against tuberculosis, rotavirus, meningitis or varicella.  While all fifty states have specific requirements for childhood vaccinations to be obtained before entering and while attending public school, there aren’t any federal laws, so check in with your physician.  Additionally, some shots require boosters after a certain amount of time; a tetanus shot, for example, should be re-administered every ten years in adults.  Some diseases that are no longer prevalent in the United States still have a presence in other countries, so it’s important to keep your routine vaccinations current.

Recommended: The Center for Disease Control’s list of recommended vaccines varies largely on a country-to-country basis, so check their website and be sure to share your itinerary with your travel health provider.  The CDC’s website has a comprehensive A to Z country listing featuring important travel information for every destination, including immunization and malaria medication recommendations, and up to the minute health bulletins, a valuable tool for any traveler.  Some vaccines that are commonly recommended for travelers, but remain outside the realm of the routine American immunizations are the vaccinations against typhoid and Japanese encephalitis.  Additional immunizations, such as a rabies vaccine, may be required if you’re working with livestock or plan to spend a lot of time in rural areas, so share your activity plans with your doctor as well. 

Additional Seasonal and Patient Health-Based Recommendations: Because airports and planes are overcrowded and have poor air circulation, you may consider getting the influenza vaccine, particularly if you’re travelling during flu season.  For those with asthma or compromised immune systems, an up-to-date flu shot is recommended year-round. Depending on your age and preexisting health conditions, your travel health provider may also include the pneumonia and shingles vaccines on the list of recommendations.

Required: The only vaccine currently required by international regulations is the yellow fever vaccine, mandatory for entry into certain African and South American countries.  Travelers entering these countries will be asked to produce a certificate verifying their receipt of the vaccine upon their entry into the country.  The immunization against viral meningitis is also required for entry into Saudi Arabia during the yearly period of the hajj pilgrimage.

It is recommended that you receive your vaccinations four to six weeks before you travel; this will give the vaccines time to spread through your body and take effect, so make an appointment with your travel health provider as soon as possible!

If you’re based in New York, you can visit the Travel Clinic of New York, where certified travel health providers offer competitive rates, evening and weekend office hours, travel medicine and immunizations (including yellow fever vaccination), and personalized consultations to teach you the ABCs of travel clinic and health on the go!

ABCs of Typhoid Immunization

When you’re visiting a foreign country, trying new and exotic local food can be one of the most exciting parts of your trip. Whether you’re taste-testing Cambodian bay chhar rice or Colombian sanocho soup, learning about new flavors and customs is an experience most travelers look forward to.  But in some developing countries, ingesting local food or water can put your health (and your vacation) at risk by putting you in contact with foodborne diseases like typhoid.  Don’t worry though, protecting yourself from this nasty illness is as easy as ABC!

Typhoid, also known as typhoid fever, is a bacterial infection transmitted by food or water containing the bacterium salmonella typhi. Though the names are similar, typhoid is not the same as typhus, which is caused by different bacteria. Typhoid symptoms are generally divided into four stages, which, if left untreated, each last about a week. In the first week, the patient experience fever, headache and cough, with possible stomach pain and bloody nose. In the second week, the patient has a higher fever, stomach pain, abnormal bowel movements and delirium. In the third week a patient may experience more delirium and dehydration, as well as possible intestinal hemorrhage or perforation, both serious conditions that can be deadly.  However, typhoid is most often not fatal, so if these complications do not occur, the patient’s fever usually reduces in the final week as he or she begins to heal.  After recovery, a small percentage of patients become asymptomatic carriers who no longer experience symptoms themselves, but can still infect others.

If you’re about to go on a big trip outside the States and want to avoid a painful month-long illness, you should find out if typhoid is a concern in your destination country.  The Center for Disease Control recommends the typhoid vaccine for travelers to most south Asian and African, as well as some South American countries, and is especially important for those travelers visiting rural areas with substandard water treatment protocols. You can visit the CDC’s website and talk to your primary care doctor to find out if the typhoid vaccine is necessary for your itinerary.

The typhoid vaccine can be given orally or via injection. The oral dose is a live, weakened version of the disease given in four doses, and the injected dose is the inactive version of the disease, given as a single shot.  Depending on your own health and any previous medical conditions, you should decide with your doctor which version of the vaccine is better for you.  One main difference is that the injected travel vaccination needs to be administered two weeks before travel and should be re-administered every two years, whereas the oral dose should be given one week before travel and lasts for five years.

Neither the oral nor the injected version of the disease is one-hundred percent effective, though, so it’s still important to watch what you eat and drink while you are away from home. Typhoid is mainly a problem when feces or urine comes in contact with food or drinking water, so frequent hand washing and cleanly food preparation is a key component of keeping typhoid and other food-related diseases out of your system.

So whether it’s the African savannah or the Andes Mountains, it’s important to visit a travel health provider before you go, to get vaccinated against typhoid and other infectious diseases prevalent abroad. If you’re based in or around New York City, a visit to the travel doctor NYC is a convenient and affordable way to get yourself up-to-date on your travel immunizations and information. At Travel Clinic NYC, a doctor specializing in travel medicine will consult with you one on one, and give you the ABCs of typhoid immunization and other information important to your health and safety abroad. You can even make a same-day appointment online at Typhoid immunization in NYC.