Travel Diseases

There are many diseases which can pose a risk to the uninformed traveller.  Ever wanted to know what Dengue Fever is? Or what about Cholera or Polio?  We often hear reports about the dreaded Ebola Virus or the Zika Virus Disease . But then maybe you just want to find out what vaccinations you need for travelling to your chosen destination. Stop here for all the disease advice you can handle.

 

BCG Vaccination

Empowering Immunity with a Milder Form of Tuberculosis BCG Vaccination  The BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) vaccine protects individuals against tuberculosis (TB), a serious bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs but ...

Bird Flu, Avian Influenza A (H5N1)

Normally this type of virus does not infect humans; however since 1997 we have seen several cases of human infection - all transmitted from bird to human. Symptoms in humans ...

Chikungunya

When the infected mosquito first bites a person the incubation period is usually 3-7 days after which a fever develops. Fever can last from a few weeks to months. It ...

Cholera

It is present in parts of the world where sanitation and hygiene are poor. The incubation of cholera ranges from a few hours to five days and first presents with ...

Diphtheria

What is Diphtheria? It is a fatal disease. After contact with the disease the incubation period is about 3 days, after which symptoms occur in the form of fever, tiredness ...

Ebola

What is Ebola? It displays itself with flu like symptoms, vomiting and bloody diarrhoea up to 10 days after contact with the virus. After 10-15 days, bleeding occurs through the ...

Hepatitis A

What is Hepatitis A? This disease is a viral infection, which can be silent. The incubation period is 15-50 days followed by no signs, or pyrexia, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort ...

Hepatitis B

It is spread from person to person through contact with bodily fluids i.e. semen, saliva, tears, vaginal fluid or urine and blood. Symptoms of the diseases range from an asymptomatic ...

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Infection with the virus can leave a person asymptomatic. Alternatively symptoms can occur within 4-12 weeks of coming into contact with the virus. The symptoms closely resemble glandular fever and ...

Japanese Encephalitis

In those humans who are infected 95.5% remain asymptomatic. While infection rates are small, of those who develop symptoms the disease is fatal in around 25% usually occurring within the ...

Lassa Fever

The virus can be transmitted through direct contact with urine and droppings of an infected rat, through touching objects or eating food contaminated with these materials, or through cuts or ...

Malaria

Malaria Facts Climate greatly affects the feeding and breeding habits of the malaria mosquito. It is prevalent in tropical climates, but usually not higher than 1,500-2,000m above sea levels. Mosquitoes ...

Malaria – Malarone

For which areas is Malarone recommended? Malarone is effective in areas of the world where we are seeing increasing Chloroquine resistance. Dosage: one tablet per day, starting just 1-2 days prior ...

Malaria Lifecycle and How Malaria Spreads

The following pictorial diagram shows the lifecycle of the mosquito responsible for the spread of malaria. This diagram has been provided and reproduced with permission from GlaxoSmithKline. Note: This information is ...

Measles

What is Measles? Measles is a viral disease, which is highly infectious. It most commonly begins with a fever and blotchy red rash. The rash usually begins on the face ...

Polio

Polio has an incubation period of about 7-14 days, after which around 90% of cases show no symptoms, producing a lifelong immunity. Others, however, display a flu-like illness and then ...

Preventing Dengue Fever

A recent report by Public Health England reported that over half of the Dengue Fever cases in the UK were from travellers to SouthEast Asia.  Other destinations included East Africa, ...

Rabies

What is Rabies? Rabies is a disease transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected animal. Rabies is an acute viral infection, which affects the central nervous system. Symptoms ...

SARS – Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

What is SARS? SARS, or SARS-CoV as it was known, was the cause of a global pandemic which began in China in 2002.   The outbreak affected 26 countries.  During the ...

Schistosomiasis

What is Schistosomiasis? Flukes, whose life cycle requires fresh water snails, cause Schistosomiasis. Schistosomiasis is contracted through the skin from fresh water contaminated with urine or faeces of an infected ...

Smallpox

When the related episode of the series was shown in the US, officials were concerned that the storyline might worry viewers and they consequently issued a media advisory prior to ...

Swine Flu and 2009 H1N1

The most common swine flu virus is the H1N1 subtype, but other subtypes include the H1N2, H3N1, H1N3 ... Symptoms in humans range from typical flu like symptoms such as ...

Tetanus

After an incubation period of around 12 days the disease affects the nervous system, causing muscle spasms and rigidity. This can eventually lead to respiratory failure and death. Who is ...

Tick Borne Encephalitis

What is Tick Borne Encephalitis? Tick Borne Encephalitis is a viral disease spread via the bite of an infected Ixodes tick. It can also be transmitted via unpasturised milk from ...

Travel Advice on Zika Virus Disease

What is Zika Virus? Zika Virus has been declared a "Public Health Emergency of International concern" (WHO).  It is a disease spread by mosquitos. This is not a new disease ...

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is spread from person to person via droplets in the air from coughing or sneezing. On rare occasions, it is spread via contaminated milk in the tropics. Once an ...

Tularaemia Disease (Tularemia)

What is Tularaemia Disease? Tularaemia (Tularemia) is an infectious disease.  Humans can become infected following a bite from an infected tick or animal contact.  The bacteria enters the body through an ...

Typhoid and Can you Prevent it?

Typhoid is a Bacterial Infection Typhoid is an infection caused by bacteria.  The bacteria is similar to the one that causes salmonella food poisoning.  You can become infected with Typhoid ...

Understanding Coronavirus COVID-19 and It’s Impact

What is Coronavirus, COVID-19? COVID-19, first identified in China in December 2019, is a highly contagious virus belonging to a larger family of viruses capable of causing illnesses ranging from ...

West Nile Virus

In most cases the virus causes mild flu like symptoms 3-14 days after the bite from an infected mosquito. Other symptoms might include eye pain, vomiting and a rash on ...

Yellow Fever Virus

What is Yellow Fever? Yellow Fever is a virus, which is spread via the bite of an infected mosquito. The disease exisits  in tropical areas of Africa and South America ...