6 Diseases to Watch Out for When You Go on Vacation to a Tropical Country

Vacationing around the US is one thing, but once you start to look at far-flung tropical destinations such as countries in Asia and Africa, it's a whole different ball game. There's a lot to consider when you visit somewhere like this, including the potential diseases you could expose yourself to. Luckily, many of these diseases are preventable with some travel vaccines, but knowing what to watch out for can help you prepare for the worst. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most common diseases that travelers encounter on their travels and some ways you can reduce your chances of catching them.

Dengue Fever

Dengue fever is one of the main types of viral infections that you can catch from a mosquito. Humans can contract it through bites from infected female mosquitoes. While many people who contract dengue may be asymptomatic, others experience severe symptoms that can be quite debilitating. Those who do get symptoms usually start to receive them 4-10 days after they've been bitten, and they can last up to 7 days, depending on the severity of the infection. Some of the main symptoms of dengue fever include high fever, vomiting, rashes, headaches, nausea, and swollen glands. While a vaccine for dengue fever was released recently, it's only available in 19 countries. To protect yourself in high-risk dengue regions, always wear mosquito repellent, carry a mosquito net, and wear long clothing that covers your skin.

Rabies

Rabies is a type of disease transferred from an infected animal, often a dog, to a human through a scratch or a bite. This disease is found in over 150 countries, so the chances of an outbreak where you're visiting are pretty high. If the infection is caught before it reaches the central nervous system, it can be treated by cleaning the bitten area and giving the infected person a vaccine along with rabies immunoglobulin medication. A rabies vaccine is available that can be administered even if you haven’t been bitten. However, if you do receive a bite, you’ll need to get two additional vaccines to kill the infection fully. This initial vaccine essentially provides you with extra time to seek medical attention if necessary.

Typhoid

Typhoid fever is an infection that someone can catch if they eat contaminated food or drink dirty water. It occurs due to the bacterium Salmonella Typhi making its way into the infected person's bloodstream and spreading from there. If someone contracts typhoid, some of the likely symptoms they'll experience include a high fever, headaches, abdominal pain, nausea, and rashes. Luckily, typhoid is treatable with the appropriate antibiotics, but some strains of the disease are able to beat it, so it can be tricky in certain circumstances. Unfortunately, even when someone has gotten over their typhoid infection, they can still carry the disease in their stool, so making sure all the bacteria are removed before you interact afterward with people is essential.

Malaria

Next up, we have malaria; it's the one tropical disease that most people have heard of before, and it can be extremely fatal in certain circumstances. Similar to dengue fever, it's transferred to humans from infected mosquitos through a parasite species. Symptoms of the disease may not show up for 15 days, but when they do, they can usually be either mild or severe, depending on the situation. Some of the first signs of malaria are chills, headaches, and fever, but these can get worse with time, so it's important you see a healthcare professional if you're showing any evidence of infection. While you can take preventive measures to avoid getting bitten by mosquitos, there are also some anti-malaria medications that are available for people traveling to malaria zones. If you're visiting one of these locations and are concerned before your trip, be sure to speak to your doctor to find an appropriate solution.

Hepatitis

It's easy to get confused with hepatitis because there are five strains of it in total: hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. All of which trigger liver disease, but they're contracted in different ways, and some types are more serious than others. For people who catch any form of hepatitis, the symptoms tend to be only mild, or some may not get any. If symptoms do display, some of the noticeable ones will be nausea, diarrhea, dark urine, fever, and a loss of appetite. Depending on the type of hepatitis a person has contracted, they may also get an infection in their liver, which can lead them to get cirrhosis. There are vaccines available for most types of hepatitis, but there isn't one for hepatitis C, although there are strong antiviral medications available to treat the disease.

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is another disease that's transmitted by mosquitos, but the infection usually passes during the day rather than at night. These types of mosquitos mostly reside around jungle areas and horses, so if you're visiting a country for these purposes, you better get your vaccine in advance. Those who do catch yellow fever may not get any symptoms, but anyone who does often gets muscle pains, vomiting, nausea, and headaches. In some cases, after someone has recovered, they may also get a flush of symptoms 24 hours later, which can be more intense and may lead to death. The good news about yellow fever is that there's a highly effective vaccine for the disease, which protects a person for life after they've taken it.

Protect Yourself From These Diseases on Your Next Holiday

These are just a handful of diseases that are common when you travel to tropical destinations. While nobody can predict the future, prevention is key before traveling anywhere so you don't put yourself at risk of something deadly. You should speak to your doctor about the regions you're visiting on your trip, and they'll be able to recommend the appropriate vaccinations for you. Additionally, don't forget to take out a strong travel insurance policy so you're protected in case you find yourself in unforeseen situations.