If you’re planning the travel adventure of a lifetime or even just a quick trip, it’s worth thinking about some of the myths you may have heard about travellers’ illnesses or the vaccinations to prevent them.
Knowing the truths behind them could save you from experiencing an unpleasant disease that could easily have been prevented with vaccinations or other treatment.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common myths around diseases that affect travellers, and the jabs that can prevent them.
Malaria
Malaria is a serious disease spread by mosquitoes, taking only one bite to pass on the infection. Its symptoms include a high temperature, muscle pains and diarrhoea, and in some cases, it can be fatal.
MYTH: “I grew up in an area where malaria is common, so I won’t get it.”
TRUTH: This won’t make you immune to malaria, so even if you return to a familiar malaria zone you are still at risk. You can reduce this risk by taking the appropriate medication before you go, and taking precautions to avoid being bitten such as sleeping under a mosquito net and covering up when you are outdoors.
Typhoid
Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection spread through contaminated food or water. Symptoms of this unpleasant disease include fever, abdominal pain and headaches.
MYTH: “Typhoid is just a high temperature. I don’t need to have any jabs to prevent it.”
TRUTH: Typhoid is a serious bacterial infection. As well as being very unpleasant, complications can include intestinal bleeding and bowel perforation. Vaccination, combined with good hygiene practices, is your best guard against the disease, and will last for three years.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by a virus. Symptoms include a fever, abdominal pain and jaundice and can last for several weeks. There is no specific treatment for the disease, although the symptoms can be managed.
MYTH: “Only drug users get hepatitis A.”
TRUTH: Anyone is susceptible to hepatitis A if they come into contact with the virus. If you’re planning to go to a place where hepatitis A is common, vaccination is a simple way to protect you against the disease.
Rabies
Rabies is a serious viral infection of the brain and nerves. It’s nearly always fatal if you don’t get the appropriate treatment before symptoms appear. Infection is usually a result of dog bites, though other animals can be responsible too.
MYTH: “You can only get rabies if a dog has actually bitten you.”
TRUTH: Rabies can be transmitted through scratches as well as bites, and spread through the air if handling bats or visiting caves where they live.
The rabies vaccination is highly recommended for travellers to places where the disease is widespread, especially those who may come into close contact with animals.
Yellow Fever vaccine
The yellow fever virus is spread by mosquitoes and symptoms can include a high temperature, vomiting and muscle pain. More serious complications include bleeding from the eyes, nose or mouth and jaundice.
MYTH: “Yellow fever vaccine makes you ill.”
TRUTH: The yellow fever vaccine may cause complications in very rare circumstances. However, it is considered an extremely safe and effective vaccine, and the risks of contracting yellow fever if you haven’t had the jab are far more serious.
After their jab, most people will be immune to yellow fever for life but remember you should take precautions to avoid mosquito bites as well.
Avoiding mosquito bites
Mosquitoes spread a number of diseases including malaria, yellow fever, dengue, West Nile virus and zika. It’s worth taking a few simple steps to prevent being bitten and risking one of these nasty illnesses.
MYTH: “Eating garlic keeps mosquitoes away.”
TRUTH: This won’t work. To minimise the risk of mosquito bites, cover up when you are out and about, use a repellent, sleep under nets at night and ensure there is no standing water around your accommodation.
You can also take a course of antimalarial tablets to greatly reduce your chances of contracting malaria from mosquito bites.
Flu vaccine
Flu is more than a heavy cold – it’s an incapacitating illness that can make you very unwell with a fever, muscle pains and headaches. In some cases, it can be fatal.
MYTH: “I had the flu jab last year so I won’t need it again.”
TRUTH: The viruses that cause flu change every season, so even if you had a flu jab last year, you will need a new one to combat this year’s strain.
Flu can be debilitating and is definitely not something you want to catch when you travel. A simple shot of the flu vaccine is the best way to prevent it.
Food poisoning
Caused by poor hygiene practices when it comes to handling and preparing food, symptoms of food poisoning can range from mild tummy cramps to severe vomiting and diarrhoea leading to dehydration.
MYTH: “I’m a vegetarian, so I’m unlikely to get food poisoning.”
TRUTH: Fruit and vegetables can be contaminated with harmful bacteria and cause food poisoning – transmission can happen through dirty irrigation water or poor hygiene in the kitchen.
To be safe, always peel and thoroughly wash fruit and vegetables before consumption, and if you’re eating cooked food (vegetarian or otherwise) make sure it’s piping hot. Make sure you wash your hands frequently, especially before eating.
It’s good to know the truth behind the myths, and that there is a whole range of travel vaccinations and treatments that can keep you safe before you embark on your next adventure. After all, prevention is better than cure, and in many cases, can be the difference between a fun-filled trip and one that’s unforgettable – for all the wrong reasons.
