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
- Flu Shot Advised for Travelers to Southern Hemisphere(04/02/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_82499.html
- Fainting Most Common Medical Crisis on Planes(02/27/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_81137.html
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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 First Aid Kit(American College of Emergency Physicians) - Links to PDF - http://www3.acep.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=8718
- Traveler's Health: Vaccinations(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentVaccinations.aspx
- Your Survival Guide to Safe and Healthy Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentSurvivalGuide.aspx
- Animal-Associated Hazards: Health Information for International Travel(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 and Sleep(National Sleep Foundation) - http://www.sleepfoundation.org/site/c.huIXKjM0IxF/b.4813263/k.9987/Jet_Lag_and_Sleep.htm
- Temperature Extremes: Health Information for International Travel(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh6-TempExtremes.aspx
- Travel Aches and Strains Can Be a Pain in Your Back(American Chiropractic Association) - http://www.acatoday.org/print.cfm?CID=92
- Travel Health Precaution(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentSwineFluMexico.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
- Traveling with Oxygen(American Lung Association) - http://www.lungusa.org/site/c.dvLUK9O0E/b.23052/
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You May Have Been Exposed to Swine Flu During Your Travels(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - Links to PDF - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/fileSwineFluPassengers.ashx
- Airline Water Supplies(Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water) - http://www.epa.gov/safewater/airlinewater/questions.html
- 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
- Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad(Dept. of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs) - http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1215.html
- 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
- 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
- Vessel Sanitation Program (Cruise Ships)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/default.htm
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If I Had - Deep Vein Thrombosis(Insidermedicine) - http://www.insidermedicine.com/Archives/If_I_Had_-_Deep_Vein_Thrombosis_-_Dr_David_Lee_MD_1847.aspx?p=mdlnp
- Jet Lag and How to Mitigate Its Effects(Harvard Medical School) - http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/video/sleep07_dean_jetlag
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Jet Lag Syndrome
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Jet+Lag+Syndrome%22
- Article: Global etiology of travelers' diarrhea: systematic review from 1973 to... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19346386&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: A new paradigm for quarantine and public health activities at... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19320361&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Stem-cell experts raise concerns about medical tourism. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19291840&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://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowfever.aspx
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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/
- Yellow Book (Health Information for International Travel)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentYellowBook.aspx
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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
- International Travel with Infants and Young Children(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh8-SafeInfantsChildren.aspx
- 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