Common Travel-Related Illnesses

If you travel around a lot for work or other reasons, you know that traveling exposes you to a greater risk for illnesses and ailments. Even if you take all the necessary precautions to keep yourself protected, there’s still a chance you’ll catch a bug unexpectedly.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common travel-related illnesses and what to do if you experience worrying symptoms.

List of Common Travel-Related Illnesses

There are several diseases that one can pick up while traveling, depending on where you’re coming from and who or what you come into contact with. Here are some of the most common illnesses that you can fall prey to when traveling:

COVID-19

As the global pandemic rages on, COVID-19 is the major illness that all travelers need to be concerned about.

Those who wish to travel will need to be vaccinated to help contain the spread of the virus and protect themselves from getting infected. While the vaccine can help your body produce antibodies to fight off the virus, it cannot shield you entirely from picking up the infection.

Travelers or expatriates who commute within a country can pick up the virus if exposed to an infected person. However, the symptoms you experience may not be as severe (depending on the variant you contract) if you’re vaccinated. As a safety measure, it’s wise to keep track of how you’re feeling, particularly if you have kids or elderly folks living with you.

Malaria

Malaria is spread through mosquitoes that are infected by a parasite. After being bitten, symptoms can surface in as little as 7 to 30 days or can take as long as a year. The disease cannot be transmitted between people.

If you experience flu-like symptoms such as chills or high fever, get yourself checked. Should you leave it untreated, malaria can progress to something more severe so it’s best to act fast and get tested.

Dengue

This disease can arise from the bite of an infected mosquito. If you’re bitten, symptoms usually start a few days to up to two weeks. Common symptoms include nausea, fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, vomiting, minor bleeding, rash, or eye pain.

There is also a chance of experiencing severe dengue which is an aggressive version of the disease. Pregnant women, infants, and those who’ve had dengue in the past are at higher risk of contracting it.

Tuberculosis

Active tuberculosis or TB is caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria and can spread through the air from an infected person. It is primarily contracted through the coughing, sneezing, and other oral-related transmissions of someone who has the infection.

It’s important to get tested if you experience chest pain, loss of appetite, coughs that don’t go away for weeks, night sweats, unexplained weight loss, vomiting mucus or blood, fever, fatigue, fever, or weakness.

Another form of this illness is called latent TB. This type doesn’t reveal itself immediately or get transmitted between people like active TB. If you have latent TB, you can still be at risk of contracting active TB and should receive medicine to protect yourself from being infected in the future.

It’s crucial to get yourself checked especially if you find out that you’ve been in contact with someone who has TB.

Other Common Illnesses To Look Out For

Additionally, there are other illnesses that you need to be aware of as a frequent traveler:

• Sinus infections
• Traveler’s diarrhea
• Influenza
• Mumps
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• Cholera
• Tetanus
• Diphtheria
• Yellow fever
• Pertussis

How MedinAction Can Help

It’s important to act swiftly when you experience troubling or recurring symptoms that don’t go away. Avoid self-diagnosing because you may end up taking the wrong medication. Instead, get in touch with a licensed practitioner through MedinAction.

We provide English-speaking medical care in Italy. We do house calls 24/7 and can attend to you at your hotel, workplace, and at home. Simply make an appointment on our website, mobile app, or over the phone and we’ll ensure you receive same-day assistance. If specialized care is required, we will refer a professional from our team.

Rest assured, we can provide you with highly trained specialists and general practitioners to help you deal with any health-related concerns.