Margaret Stroz, MD
Medical Director, The Occupational Health Center at Chester County Hospital
The steps taken in preparing for an international vacation have grown exponentially in recent years. With quick access to the internet and mobile apps, we can now consult Trip Tuner to help determine the location of our dreams, Expedia and Kayak for airfare savings, Trip Advisor and Priceline for hotel deals, Seat Guru to get the best seat while traveling, Yelp for the best food destinations, and the list goes on. One can travel quite far into World Wide Web when planning an excursion near or far. In my experience, some of this planning is quite useful while, at times, one can become quite detoured and even lost.
The Travel Medicine Program at Chester County Hospital's Occupational Health Center is equipped to assist the traveler in preparing for a safe and informed travel experience. Our program is geared to educate the traveler about health risks to specific regions and assist them in making informed decisions regarding preventative medications and vaccinations. Our clinical providers rely on the CDC Travel's Health in making recommendations and even offer travelers a link to those guidelines prior to visiting OHC's Travel Medicine Program so they have a good idea of what will be recommended during the consultation. Diseases such as Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Japanese Encephalitis, and Malaria are well addressed with guidance regarding immunizations, medications and preventative measures. Most travelers are eager to avoid these exotic diseases, but may be less inclined to address the seemingly routine vaccines.
The fact that "all travelers should be up-to-date on routine vaccines before every trip" is stressed in CDC Health Information to Travelers. While this recommendation appears mundane, its importance cannot be understated. Let me present some facts regarding disease and vaccines:
Tetanus and Diphtheria, thanks to routine immunizations are rare in the United States today. Pertussis, or whooping cough, however, has made a comeback. In 2012, nearly 48,000 cases were reported in the US - that's the highest number since 1955 and a 15% increase from 2012 to 2014. This highly contagious respiratory disease is spread through sneezing and cough and infants under 6 months are at the highest risk. The disease is best prevented by receiving the Tdap vaccination, which is provided to children during routine vaccination, new mothers after the delivery and once in adulthood, as a routine adult vaccination.
Measles, Mumps and Rubella, common childhood diseases in the 1950s, are also making a surge. Since many children have not received the primary vaccine series due to unfounded safety claims, the viruses are present in communities and are easily spread to vulnerable individuals; particularly those lacking full immunity. The diseases are spread through runny noses and sneezing, both droplet and airborne. Assuring a history of adequate primary immunization is essential to air travelers who may be in contact potential contagious traveler or in areas of the world where measles is still present.
Influenza. "The single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year," is succinctly stated in the CDC 2015 Seasonal Influenza Recommendations. The flu is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can be severe and affects from 5- 20% of the population in the United States each year. While prevalent in the winter months in northern hemispheres, travelers are exposed year-round.
So why is this important to the traveler? The time and expense invested in travel for vacation or work is high and should not be threatened by illnesses that are preventable. Communicable diseases are highly transmissible to other travelers, particularly in airports and on planes, where travelers are in close, confined spaces for extended periods of time. Both routine and unusual disease prevention must be addressed in order for travelers to be prepared for safe and healthy travel.
Reach Out To Chester County Hospital BEFORE You Travel
The health professionals at The Travel Medicine Program at Chester County Hospital can help you prepare for travel. To schedule an appointment for a travel-related health assessment and necessary immunizations and medications, click here.