Traveller’s diarrhoea is the most common illness affecting people travelling abroad. While many cases are mild, some infections can become severe and require medical treatment. One important bacterial cause of traveller’s diarrhoea is Shigella, a highly contagious bacterium that spreads through contaminated food, water, and poor hygiene. Recent cases involving British holidaymakers who died after…
Posts Categorized: Diseases
Counterfeit and substandard medicines and vaccines are a significant global health problem worldwide impacting millions of people and risking their health and safety.Unfortunately many travellers are unaware of this risk and the importance of completing vaccination courses before travel and packing a medical kit with appropriate first aid and medications. None of us like to…
What you need to know about Rabies and why the vaccination is one of the best you can get! Rabies is an infectious viral disease of the brain and nervous system that is fatal once symptoms have started. The virus is spread from both wild and domestic animals through a bite, scratch or lick to…
On March 9th it was the 5th anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In those five years the virus has evolved through multiple variants and is now considered endemic. Covid – 19 is here to stay and as the virus continues to circulate around the globe causing illness, hospital admissions and death, Covid…
Yellow fever (YF) is a vaccine preventable viral disease. 90% of all yellow fever cases are found on the African continent and is most prevalent in the western part of sub-Saharan Africa such as Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Senegal, and Mali. Yellow fever is also present in South America and parts of Central America and…
The BBC report that a mysterious virus once confined to the Amazon is spreading widely around the Americas. So what is this mystery virus and do travellers need to be concerned? Known by some as ‘Sloth fever’ Oropouche is the mysterious spreading virus. It used to be almost as common as Dengue in South America…
‘RSV virus. It’s so common, we haven’t heard of it’. Did you know that it is so common that most children have encountered it by 2 years of age and adults will have been exposed to it many times in their life? This virus typically presents as the common cold! Symptoms are similar to those…
On August 14, 2024, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that the significant increase of Mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. Clade I Mpox cases have been reported beyond the epicentre of the outbreak, the DRC,…
The possibility of getting bitten by a tick whilst travelling may not be on the minds of many travelers, however, did you know that Tick -borne encephalitis (TBE) is a serious infection that is present in over 33 countries and may include the one you are travelling to. Read on to find out if the…
As quickly as Zika appeared in the news, it soon disappeared from global awareness, however Zika virus has not gone away and is still a significant travel health risk for many travellers. Find out more. What is ZIKA? Zika is a viral infection transmitted by daytime biting mosquitoes, mostly biting around mid-morning and late afternoon…
