This document discusses travel medicine and provides information on various health risks faced by travelers. It defines travel medicine as dealing with travel-associated diseases and helping prevent illness and injuries for those traveling abroad. Some key risks discussed include travelers' diarrhea, malaria, sunburn, dehydration, altitude sickness, and motion sickness. It provides prevention and treatment strategies for these conditions. The document also addresses special considerations for pregnant women, children, and elderly travelers.

1. TRAVEL MEDICINE
BY DR. HYDER YAHYA

2. WHAT IS TRAVEL MEDICINE
• Also called Tourist Medicine
• Deals with travel associated diseases
• It helps to prevent illness and injuries occurring to traveler going abroad
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3. EMPORIATRICS
 Study of travel related
diseases
 Includes..
 Tropical medicine
 Aviation medicine
 Immunization medicine
 Accident medicine , etc
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4. IMPORTANCE
To minimize the risk of Morbidity
and Mortality by increasing traveler
awareness of travel related health
hazards
To encourage prophylactic
measures
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5. MODE OF TRANSMISSION
Air Borne (all respiratory disease)
Gastrointestinal (hepaptitis A,E , Typhoid etc)
Transcutaneous ( Malaria)
Sexually transmission ( HIV, CMV)
Blood ( reuse meedles for injections)
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6. RISK
ASSESSMENT
Risk assessment can be done with the help of Questionnaires and
Checklists
Destination
Duration of visit
Purpose of visit
Standard of
accommodation and food
hygiene
Existing health status
Behavior of traveler
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7. PROBLEMS RELATED WITH MODES OF TRANSPORT AND THEIR
PREVENTION
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8. MOTION SICKNESS
 Associated with up and down movement
 Most affecting travelers
 Drugs to treat are (Promethazine, Metoclopramide ,
Antihistamine,Anticholenergic
Prevention..
 Sitting where the motion is least
 Support to head
 Avoid reading
 Avoid fatty foods
 Eat light meals prior to travel
 Prophylactic medicine taken
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9. ALTITUDE ILLNESS
 caused by rapid exposure to low amounts of oxygen at
high elevation
 Symptoms are Frontal Headache , Shortness of breath
with exertion, Sleep disturbance , Decrease in appetite
 Treatment plan are
1- Complete rest
2- Give oxygen
3- Take Acetazolamide 125mg
4-Plenty of water because water lost rapidly at high
altitude
5-Diet high carbohydrates in proportion
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10. 10
Cover up with tightly woven cotton clothes
Wear hat with large brim
Sit in shades
Stay out of sun either side of noon
Use high SPF and UVA protection creams
Apply thickly before going out
Reapply after swimming
SUN AND SUN BURN

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Drink fluids +++
Carry water rounds
Add salt to food
DEHYDRATION

12. COMMON INFECTION DURING TRAVELING
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13. MALARIA
DIAGNOSIS….
 Falciparium or one of others
 From a chloroquine resistant area
 Mild moderate or severe
 SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS
 Fever with rigors
 Flu like illness
 Jaundice
 Diarrhoea
 Splenomegaly
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14. 14
 A – Awarness of risk ( repellent, close windows , spray and coils)
 B – Prevent bites ( mosquito nets , clothing after dark )
 C – Compliance with medication
 D – Diagnose early
 COMMON TYPE PRESENT IN
 INDIA ,PAKISTAN , THIALAND IS = VIVAX
PREVENTION

15. TRAVELLERS DIARRHEA
• Traveler's diarrhea is a digestive tract disorder
that commonly causes loose stools and abdominal
cramp
INFECTIOUS AGENTS..
Rota virus
E coli (most common cause)
Campylobacter
Salmonella
Giardia lamblia
50% no cause found
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16. AVOIDANCE TREATMENT
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 Fluids only
 Rehydration salts
 Antibiotics rarely needed e.g ciprofloxacin
 Wash fruit and veg
 Drink bottled water
 No ice cubes in drink
 Clean teeth with bottled water
 No ice cream
 Be aware where you eat
 Hand washing

17. SPECIAL GROUP OF TRAVELERS
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18. PREGNANCY
 Airlines refuse to carry pregnant women of >32 weeks
gestation
 In other forms of travelling , it is not as such
contraindicated however it poses risks of
THROMBOEMBOLISM and UTI
 Anti-malarials such as Mefloquine and Doxycycline are
contraindicated
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19. CHILDREN
 There no legal/medical restriction.
 Infants as little as one week could undertake the
journey
 Basic and scheduled vaccination is mandatory
 Protection against animal bites
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20. ELDERLY
 High risk of THROMBO-EMBOLISM
 Those on Diuretics must have prophylaxis against
Travelers Diarrhea
 Opt a flight in reasonable halts rather than long haul
flights
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21. 21
 Dissemination of valid information about safe water and food , safe trips, safe sleep and sleep sex
 Immunizations
 Chemoprophylaxis of Malaria and Tuberculosis
 Self Treatment kit adjusted to individual requirement
Advice to health care providers

22. …..LEARNING SESSION…..
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23. 23
1- Travel medicine is also called as
(a) Human medicine (b) Tourist medicine
(c) Environment medicine (d) Tropical medicine
2- The study of travel related disease is called
(a) Geriatrics (b) Emporiatrics
(c) Bariatrics (d) Podiatrics
3- Which type of mosquito is prevail in Pakistan
(a) Falciparum (b) ovale
(c) Vivax (d) malariae
MCQS

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4- Most common infections agent that cause travelers diarrhea
(a) Rota virus (b) campylobacter
(c) E.coli (d) giardia
5- In what week of pregnancy the airlines refuse for that women to travel
(a) 20 weeks (b) 30 weeks
(c) >32 weeks (d) 18 weeks
6- In elderly person the most common high risk while travelling in flight is
(a) Heart attack (b) Thrombo-embolism
(c) Stroke (d) Pulmonary edema

25. THANK YOU