Every year, millions of people visit developing countries. Of these, many are entrepreneurs looking for new opportunities.
With a myriad of development potential available in the Asian region, entrepreneurs are flocking abroad to break into the ground floor. Many travel to these regions regularly, exposing themselves to illnesses ranging from different strains of hepatitis to typhoid and polio.
Unfortunately, many of these diseases do not discriminate: you can get them even when staying in 5-star accommodation. Also, some of them require long periods of convalescence. For example, hepatitis A can mean an absence from work of up to 8 weeks, depending on the severity of the attack.
The problem businessmen and travelers face is that they have often not been exposed to a wide range of infections. This means that they have little or no natural immunity to diseases common in other parts of the world.
For example, even when staying in standard hotels in areas like Taiwan, the traveler still has a 1 in 300 chance of developing hepatitis A. Budget travelers increase their risk up to six times.
The sensible solution is to make sure you get the recommended vaccinations for any foreign country you visit. However, it is important to realize that for many vaccines to be fully effective, a series of doses over a long period of time is required. For example, hepatitis B vaccines typically require a couple of months before they become fully effective.
Vaccination is not the only precaution to take when traveling in a developed country. Many diseases are transmitted through food that has been handled by a carrier of the disease. This means that raw vegetables, salads, raw meat, seafood, and beverages made with water or ice are potential health hazards and should be approached with caution.
Other things to look at are the general cleanliness of the restaurant or food preparation area. A restaurant with no electricity, meat covered in flies hanging on hooks and maybe a few stray animals wandering around is unlikely to be a good risk!
There are also risks that can be much more easily avoided. These include casual sexual contact, intravenous drug use, and other skin-piercing activities, such as tattoos and ear piercings.
It is also important that you mention to your doctor that you have been traveling abroad to developed countries if you experience any symptoms such as nausea, lethargy, fever, or jaundice after your return. These can often be classified as the common flu or virus, when in fact they may be symptoms of a hepatitis infection. With all the details of the trip, the doctor will be able to make a correct diagnosis and suggest the necessary additional tests.
With almost all health concerns, the key to disease-free foreign travel is common sense. If you’re visiting a developing area, take the time to make sure you get any necessary vaccinations in time for your trip. After all, that small amount of foresight can prevent a lot of trouble down the line.
Copyright Felicity Walker 2005