Traveling can increase your chances of getting sick. It takes your body time to adjust to the water, food and air in another place. Water in developing countries can contain viruses, bacteria and parasites that cause stomach upset and diarrhea. Be safe by using only bottled or purified water for drinking, making ice cubes and brushing your teeth. If you use tap water, boil it or use iodine tablets.
If you are traveling out of the country, you might also need vaccinations or prevention medicine. Which ones you need will depend on what part of the world you're visiting, the time of year, your age, overall health status and previous immunizations. See your doctor 4 to 6 weeks before your trip. Most vaccines take time to become effective. Bon voyage!
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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International Travel: Tips for Staying Healthy(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/travel/311.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/travel/311.printerview.html
- Staying Healthy While You Travel(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/outdoor/family_travel.html
- Travelers' Health(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/
- Stay Healthy While Traveling Abroad(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/travel_health062308.html
- Travel and Health(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec25/ch303/ch303a.html
- Olympics Travel Tips for Kids(08/04/2008, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/OlympicsTravelKids/
- Travel Like a Champion in China!(07/28/2008, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/BeijingOlympics/
- Go for the Gold - in Travel Health!(07/07/2008, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/OlympicTravel/
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Air Travel Health Tips(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/travel/455.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/travel/455.printerview.html
- Measures to Prevent Bites from Mosquitoes, Ticks, Fleas and Other Insects and Arthropods(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentMosquitoTick.aspx
- Motion Sickness: First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/first-aid-motion-sickness/HQ01099/METHOD=print
- Traveler's Health: Vaccinations(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentVaccinations.aspx
- Animal-Associated Hazards: Health Information for International Health(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh6-Animal.aspx
- Assistive Devices and Mobility Aids during Travel(Transportation Security Administration) - http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/editorial_1370.shtm
- Ears and Altitude(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/earsAltitude.cfm
- Economy-Class Syndrome and Deep Vein Thrombosis(American Heart Association) - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3010041
- Foot Swelling during Air Travel: A Concern?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/foot-swelling/HQ00722/METHOD=print
- Hepatitis E (HEV): Questions & Answers(American Social Health Association) - http://www.ashastd.org/learn/learn_hepatitisE.cfm
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High-Altitude Illness: How to Avoid It and How to Treat It(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/physical/injuries/247.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/physical/injuries/247.printerview.html
- Jet Lag(National Sleep Foundation) - http://www.sleepfoundation.org/site/apps/nl/content.asp?c=huIXKjM0IxF&b=2460777&ct=3500713
- Temperature Extremes: Health Information for International Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh6-TempExtremes.aspx
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Traveler's Diarrhea(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/digestive/basics/182.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/digestive/basics/182.printerview.html
- Traveler's Health: Diseases Related to Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentDiseases.aspx
- Airline Water Supplies(Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water) - http://www.epa.gov/safewater/airlinewater/questions.html
- Cruise Ship Travel: Health Information for International Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh7-CruiseShip.aspx
- Food Safety While Hiking, Camping & Boating(Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service) - http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Food_Safety_While_Hiking_Camping_&_Boating/index.asp
- Immunocompromised Traveler(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh9-Immunocompromised.aspx
- Medicare Coverage Outside the U.S.(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11037.pdf
- Natural Disasters and Environmental Hazards(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh6-NaturalDisasters.aspx
- Permitted and Prohibited Items for Airline Travel(Transportation Security Administration) - http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm
- Risks from Food and Water (Drinking and Recreational): Health Information for International Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh2-FoodWaterRisks.aspx
- Tips for Healthy Cruising(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/pub/cruisingtips/healthycruising.htm
- Travel Health Tips for Students Studying Abroad(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentStudyAbroad.aspx
- Traveler's Health: Illness and Injury Abroad(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentIllnessInjuryAbroad.aspx
- Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions(Transportation Security Administration) - http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/index.shtm
- Tropical Travel and Skin Infections(American Academy of Dermatology) - http://www.aad.org/media/background/factsheets/fact_tropical.html
- Tsunami-Related Information for Travelers to and from South Asia(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/tsunamis/travelers.asp
- Vessel Sanitation Program (Cruise Ships)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/default.htm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Jet Lag Syndrome
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Jet+Lag+Syndrome%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Travel(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Travel%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Travel tips. Ways to minimize jet lag. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18819198&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis in North American travelers to Mexico. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18689626&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Azithromycin and loperamide are comparable to levofloxacin and loperamide for... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18688944&tool=MedlinePlus
- Traveler's Health -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(tropical+medicine[majr]+OR+travel[majr]+OR+jet+lag+syndrome[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Travel Clinics(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentTravelClinics.aspx
- Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets(Dept. of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs) - http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw_1168.html
- Traveler's Health: Destinations (Diseases and Vaccinations)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationList.aspx
- Yellow Fever Vaccination Clinics(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www2.ncid.cdc.gov/travel/yellowfever/
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
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Flying and Your Child's Ears(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/flying_ears.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/general/flying_ears_esp.html
- Traveling Safely with Infants and Children(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh8-SafeInfantsChildren.aspx
- Traveling with Children -- Tips for Parents(American Psychiatric Association) - http://healthyminds.org/travellingwithchildrentips.cfm
- Vaccine Recommendations for Infants and Children: Health Information for International Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh8-VacRecInfantsChidren.aspx
- Travel Tips(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/safebasics/travel_tips.html
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Traveling and Asthma(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/managing_asthma/charge/travel_asthma.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/enfermedades/travel_asthma_esp.html
- Air Travel during Pregnancy: Is It Safe?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/air-travel-during-pregnancy/AN00398/METHOD=print
- Breastfeeding and Travel: Health Information for International Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh8-Breastfeeding.aspx
- Planning for a Healthy Pregnancy and Traveling While Pregnant(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh9-PregnancyTraveling.aspx
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Shots for Safety(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/shots.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/Spanish/shots-sp.htm
- Gastroenteritis - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/gastroenteritis.html
- Immunization - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/immunization.html
- Malaria - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/malaria.html
- Motion Sickness - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/motionsickness.html
- Parasitic Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/parasiticdiseases.html
- Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infections.html
- Wellness and Lifestyle - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/wellnessandlifestyle.html