What do George Clooney, King Tut, Mother Theresa and JFK have in common?

Malaria. A potentially fatal illness so named by the Italians for bad "mal" air "aria" thought to be caused by the marsh airs. It is actually caused by a parasite spread when the female anopheles mosquito bites someone who has malaria and then goes on to bite someone who doesn't. In colonial times we had summer outbreaks in Washington DC, Philadelphia and Boston. Malaria was controlled in the US by clearing the swamps and by mosquito eradication. But it still exisits in many places in the world and unsuspecting travelers can get exposed. Malaria exists in some places in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America as well as Africa, South East Asia, India, Pakistan and other surprising locales.

If you are traveling outside the US, you can go to CDC web site and look up malaria area maps. If you are traveling to a malaria area protect yourself by avoiding bites between sunset and sunrise covering exposed skin and using 30 % DEET. Talk to your primary care provider or travel clinic about taking pills to help prevent malaria. These need to be started before you leave, and are taken while you travel and for a week or a month after you leave the malaria area.

All it takes is one bite from one mosquito, one time. Protect yourself. For more information go to www.malariahotspots.co.uk.

It's not too late for a flu shot

Flu shots in February? Yes. Flu is active all over the U.S. Getting a flu shot during flu season can still help protect you. Flu season sometimes lasts into May. If you get vaccinated now, your full immunity may take about 2 weeks , but you do get some protection right away. Limited protection is still better than no protection.

Flying on an airplane this winter will increase your chances of getting sick. Let's say you are headed on vacation. You are flying for several hours in an enclosed area with lots of people from all over the world, all breathing the same air and touching the same surfaces. Now, add to that, that the humidity of air in an airplane is close to that of the Sahara dessert.

Our mucous membranes that line our mouths and noses are our main defense against viral invasion. Dry air caused micro cracks in mucous membranes that then act as open doors to the viruses you inhale. It is estimated that your risk of catching a cold on an airplane is 100 times that of exposure on the ground. So, in about 1-2 days, the average incubation period for influenza virus, you come down with the flu- fever, chills, cough. You know the feeling. Not only have you ruined your vacation, but then in a few days you'll get on a plane to head home where someone else is going to breath your air and the whole process just continues.

So, why not just get a flu shot? Call your primary care provider or travel clinic. It's not too late and there is no shortage of vaccine.

Heading South Soon?

Dreaming about a warm, sunny beach in a tropical paradise? If you are heading south this winter, I bet you are not dreaming of traveler’s diarrhea, dengue fever , or malaria , which can be found in Paradise, too.

To prevent diarrhea, don’t drink the water, brush your teeth in it, have drinks with ice cubes or frozen blended drinks. Don’t eat food unless it is piping hot and thoroughly cooked. No fresh fruit or vegetables unless they are peeled. Mangoes, papaya, pineapple and banana can all be peeled. It’s a very good idea to get vaccinated for hepatitis A, a viral infection of the liver, transmitted from contaminate foods and water. Staying at a resort that tells you their water is filtered? Still don’t drink the water and follow all the precautions because you don’t know what kind of filtration system is used and how well it is maintained. It is a good idea to bring a prescription antibiotic to self treat diarrhea just in case.

Avoid mosquito bites day and night. One bite from one mosquito can result in a case of dengue fever or malaria. Dengue fever, nicknamed broke bone fever, is increasing in the tropics. There is no treatment or vaccinations, so the only protection is by covering up and using 30% DEET insect spray all day and night. Find out whether you need to also take malaria pills before you go.
To get information, consult a travel clinic and the CDC web site on travel health. A visit to a travel clinic will be sure your immunizations are current and will provide you with prescriptions for traveler’s diarrhea or malaria. Don’t want to worry about malaria or dengue fever? Consider talking to a travel clinic before you book your trip for advice.

So, when you are laying on that beach , the only thing you’ll need to worry about is getting sunburned. Then the only things you’ll bring home will be great photos, good memories and a few souvenirs.