Travel Vaccinations for VFRs leaving NYC

Thanks to current travel flight affordability and availability now more than ever immigrants can maintain ties with their relatives abroad. By simply clicking a few buttons online anyone can hop on a commercial flight to reconnect with one’s original homeland, and first and second generation children are taking advantage of it. Only 12% of the US population is listed as foreign born, but 34% of Americans traveling internationally list Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFRs) as a reason for travel. In less than a 12 hour flight hordes of people are reconnecting with old friends and family in their or their parent’s country of origin.
Yet these types of travelers should be particularly mindful about their health while abroad, especially considering where their origins may lie. Immigration trends to the United States have changed in recent American history. New York City’s streets no longer feel the thud of the many Italian, Irish and German immigrants that poured in from Europe at the start of the 20^th century. Immigration patterns have shifted to other countries over the past 30 years, with more individuals and families coming from Latin American, Asia and Southeast Asia than anywhere else. Alas, these areas are at particularly high risk for certain infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid, yellow fever, hepatitis A and STDs. Knowing this all travelers should get the proper travel vaccination before taking off. Yet VFRs seem less likely than anyone to get vaccinations, and thus disproportionately contract contagious diseases while abroad. According to the Center for Disease Control, 66% of typhoid cases seen in the United States are brought over by travelers who were visiting friends and family, mostly in Latin America and South Asia. South Asia also exports 90% of the paratyphoid cases seen in the United States. The CDC found that in 2008, 65% of the malaria cases brought in by people traveling abroad came from VFRs. These types of travelers have been found to be 8 times more likely to contract malaria than any other type of tourist. A large handful of travelers have died of typhoid upon returning to the US after seeing their friends and family. Why does this happen?Much of it is explained by the pre-travel habits of people visiting their country of origin. Persons visiting friends and family tend to stay for longer periods of time in high risk areas for disease. Taking advantage of free room and board, they also tend to stay in homes instead of hotels. This directly exposes them to the local lifestyle that often implies lack of water and food precautions and mosquito repellent techniques such as bed nets, all habits that put travelers at risk for infection. People visiting their homeland also tend to dismiss health warnings from a travel doctor about the area, for they feel their heritage and connection with it gives them some kind of immunity. It is true, to an extent, that many peoples living within their country of origin do develop immunities to local diseases, but this does not mean that these immunities will stay intact after years of separation from that area. You live in an area long enough your body begins adapting to the new environment. Yet VFRs tend to largely forget about or not know about this.All VFRs should take advantage of available travel vaccinations NYC recommended for the country they wish to return to. People immigrate to the US in part due to its accessible health benefits, and immunizations are a major privilege available in this country. Visit this NYC travel clinic if you live in or nearby NYC. It is convenient, reasonably priced, and operates with a skilled, trustworthy staff of health professionals. When you visit you’ll benefit from one-on-one consultations with a board certified travel doctor that will carefully review your travel case and access your health needs before you go abroad.
Do not dismiss health warnings regarding your home country because you feel they do not apply to a “native.” Visit TravelClinicNY.com to learn more about how to protect yourself.

Get a typhoid vaccination in NYC so next time you travel you can actually drink the water

There are about 400 cases of typhoid found in the United States per year, which is relatively small considering that 75 percent of these cases occurred in Americans who had recently traveled outside of the United States. Further yet, a portion  of the 25 percent of domestic cases can be traced to international products consumed in this country. In August of 2010, for example, Goya and La Nuestra companies were forced to recall all of their frozen mamey pulp products after they were linked to a handful of typhoid cases reported on the West Coast. Their contaminated product, mamey pulp, is a tropical fruit grown mostly in Central and South America, meaning that the bacteria was most likely imported into this country, not formed within. So the US, as with most developed nations, manages to control typhoid pretty well.

Underdeveloped countries, some of which tend to be wonderful vacation spots, do not fare so well. According the Center for Disease control about 21.5 million people in the developing world contract typhoid fever every year. In the past decade, United States residents traveling to Latin American, Asia and Africa have experienced especially high frequencies of typhoid. If you plan on traveling to any of these areas you should avoid this sickness by getting a typhoid vaccination NYC at a certified travel clinic weeks before you take off.

For it is almost impossible to avoid a disease that manifests within the food and water of the country you visit. Tyhpoid fever spreads when humans swallow foods and water that has been contaminated with the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. These microorganisms live in the stool of infected persons, and can in more ways than you’d like to imagine make its way into your mouth.  For example food is often spoiled when handled by someone sick with the disease that works in conditions where proper hand washing procedures are not enforced. Water proves a risk because local drinking water in countries with poorly maintained sewage systems is at times polluted with Salmonella Typhi, leading to the traveler’s common motto: “Whatever you do, don’t drink the water.”

Once ingested the bacteria multiplies and spreads throughout the bloodstream, causing the body to react with fever of 103 to 104 degrees. People also tend to experience severe headaches, abdominal pains and loss of appetite. People who do not get treated with antibiotics can sustain a fever and other symptoms for months, with as many as 20 percent dying due to complications from the bacteria.

If you plan on traveling to an area where typhoid fever is common you should visit a travel center to get a typhoid vaccination to prevent infection. Make sure to make an appointment at least 3 weeks prior to departure to ensure the immunization will take affect before you land in your destination.  Also, just because you’ve received a vaccine for typhoid once before does not mean you are not due for another; the vaccine loses its potency after several years. You can check with your travel doctor to find out if you are due for another shot.

If you live in or nearby New York City, make an appointment with this travel clinic in NYC located in Midtown. Your doctor carefully considers your entire itinerary to make sure you have all the needed medications and vaccines you need. Importantly, this clinic is also affordable, and clearly lists its pricing for vaccinations on its website at TravelClinicNY.com. Check it out to conveniently compare their prices with other clinics.

Log onto oral typhoid vaccination to make an appointment or call their office at 212-696-5900. You shouldn’t have to feel nervous about drinking water and enjoying local cuisine while abroad. Get vaccinated.