The Singapore Family Physician

Back to issue Vol 34 No. 2 - Communicable Diseases of Community Importance

TRAVEL DISEASES OF PUBLIC HEALTH IMPORTANCE

Paul Ananth Tambyah
The Singapore Family Physician Vol 34 No 2 - Communicable Diseases of Community Importance
25 - 28
1 May 2008
0377-5305
Travel medicine is a fast growing field. The recommendations are constantly changing. Websites provide a useful frame of reference for travel advice for patients who consult us. Travel clinics run by certified travel medicine specialists at CGH, TTSH or NUH are another source of travel information. Some of the key infections in the world are: Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and respiratory tract infections. Pregnant travellers need to consult their obstetricians long before they travel. Key infections in Asia are: Malaria, Japanese B encephalitis, Scrub typhus, and Dengue. Food and water borne infections are the second commonest cause of illness in returned travellers: Hepatitis A, Campylofactor infection, and Typhoid. Zoonotic infections of importance but low risk are: Highly Pathogenetic Avian Influenza (HPAI (H5N1)), and Rabies. Soil and water associated infections of importance, e.g. Leptospirosis, and Melioidosis, are best prevented with protective footwear.