Diseases

 

Diseases Transmitted By Insects

 MALARIA

Malaria risk areas include: Botswana: northern part of the country; Namibia: Ovamboland and Caprivi; South Africa: rural areas, north, east, and western low altitude areas of Transvaal, Natal coastal areas; Swaziland: lowland areas; Zimbabwe: a HIGH RISK exists throughout the year. In Lesotho and St. Helena, there is no risk.

How to prevent this disease? Travelers should take MEFLOQUINE to prevent malaria. This medicine should be taken one week before leaving, weekly while in the malarious area, and weekly for 4 weeks after leaving the malarious area.

Travelers should use measures to reduce exposure to malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and protect themselves from mosquito bites. These mosquitoes bite mainly during the evening and night, from dusk to dawn.

 YELLOW FEVER

There is little or no risk of yellow fever in Southern Africa. However, some countries Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland require a yellow fever vaccination and certificate for entry. Botswana, and St. Helena do not require a yellow fever vaccination.

How to prevent this disease? YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION FOR ENTRY. A Central African country, the easiest and safest yellow fever vaccination and a signed certificate. Yellow fever vaccination may be administered to adults and children over 9 months of age. A booster is needed every 10 years. Infants under 4 months MUST NOT be immunized. Also, persons severely allergic to eggs should not be given the vaccine. Not recommended for persons who are pregnant or whose immune systems are not functioning normally. Travelers should use measures to reduce exposure to mosquitoes and protect themselves from mosquito bites.

 Yellow Fever Certificate:

After immunization an International Certificate of Vaccination is issued and is valid 10 days after vaccination to meet entry and exit requirements for all countries.

 DENGUE FEVER

The countries are South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe. The risk of infection is small for most travelers except during periods of epidemic transmission.

 How to prevent this disease? There is no vaccine for dengue fever therefore the traveler should avoid mosquito bites. These mosquitoes bite mainly in the daytime.

 OTHER INSECT DISEASES

Spread by mosquitoes, sand flies, black flies. These diseases include: Filariasis and Chikungunya caused by mosquito, leishmaniasis caused by sandfly, Onchocerciasis caused by blackflies, Trypanosomiasis caused by flies, Congo-Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever caused by ticks, typhus caused by lice, and Plague caused by fleas.

 

Diseases Transmitted Through Food And Water

TYPHOID FEVER

Countries are Southern Africa, especially smaller cities, villages, or rural areas.

How to prevent this disease? By drinking only bottled or boiled water and eating only thoroughly cooked food. There are a vaccines which have been shown to protect 70- 90% of the recipients. Therefore, even vaccinated travelers should be cautious in selecting their food and water. The oral vaccine consists of 4 capsules taken every other day over a seven day period. The other vaccine consists of a primary series of two injections, spaced at least 4 weeks apart.

CDC recommends a typhoid vaccination for travelers who are going off the usual tourist itineraries. However Typhoid vaccination is not required for international travel.

 CHOLERA

Countries: Most of the countries of Southern Africa. Travelers should consider the vaccine if they have stomach ulcers, use anti-acid therapy, or if they will be living in less than sanitary conditions in areas of high cholera activity.

How to prevent this disease? Follow the standard food and water precautions of eating only thoroughly cooked food, peeling their own fruit, and drinking either boiled water, bottled carbonated water, or bottled carbonated soft drinks. The available vaccine is only 50% effective in reducing the illness, and is not recommended routinely for travelers. The primary series is normally two injections with booster doses given every 6 months for persons who remain at high risk. Not recommended for infants under 6 months old, or for pregnant women.

 HEPATITIS A

The countries are rural areas and extensive travel in the countryside, close contact with local persons, or eating in settings of poor sanitation.

How to prevent this disease? The virus is inactivated by boiling or cooking to 85 degrees centigrade for one minute, eating thoroughly cooked foods and drinking only treated water. Havrix, the hepatitis A vaccine currently licensed for use in the U.S., or immune globulin (IG) is recommended before travel for persons 2 years of age or older. Hepatitis A vaccine is preferred for persons who plan to travel repeatedly or reside for long periods of time in intermediate or high risk areas. Immune globulin is recommended for travelers < 2 years of age. For persons of all ages who desire only short term protection.

CDC recommends hepatitis A vaccine or IG for protection against hepatitis A. Should be given in a two dose series with the second dose administered 6-12 months after the first.

Immune globulin should be used for travelers < 2 years of age. Short term protection.

PARASITES

The countries are Southern Africa. There are many types of parasites and infection may occur in several ways: by eating undercooked meats infected with parasites or their larva; by eating food or drinking water contaminated with parasites or their eggs; by contact with soil or water infected with parasites; through insect bites. Travelers are advised to wear shoes and avoid swimming, wading, or washing in fresh water .

How to prevent this disease? Eat only thoroughly cooked food, drink safe water, wear shoes, refrain from swimming in fresh water, and avoid contact with insects, particularly mosquitoes, biting flies, gnats, and midges.

 

Diseases Transmitted Through Intimate Contact

AIDS / HIV

The countries are throughout the Southern African region. However, little information is available regarding the rates of infection or the extent of risk behaviors.

How to prevent this disease? No effective vaccine has been developed for HIV. Avoid sexual or needle-sharing contact with a person who is infected with HIV. If a blood transfusion is necessary, screened blood should be from an HIV-negative blood donor, avoid activities known to carry risks for infection with HIV.

HEPATITIS B

The countries are Southern Africa. How can it be transmitted?

 (1) direct contact with blood or other body fluids.

(2) intimate sexual contact with an infected person.

(3) the duration of travel.

How to prevent this disease? Vaccination and/or reducing intimate contact with those suspected of being infected. Vaccination is strongly recommended and it should begin 6 months before travel.

CDC recommends vaccination for any of the following people: any health care worker (medical, dental, or laboratory) whose activities might result in blood exposure; any traveler who may have intimate sexual contact with the local population; any long-term (6 months or more) traveler, e.g. teachers, who will reside in rural areas or have daily physical contact with the local population; or any traveler who is likely to seek either medical, dental, or other treatment in local facilities during their stay.

 

Other Diseases

SCHISTOSOMIASIS

The countries are Southern African countries of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe. The risk is a function of the frequency and degree of contact with contaminated fresh water for bathing, wading, or swimming.

How to prevent this disease? Swimming in fresh water in rural areas should be avoided. Bath water should either be heated to 50 degrees C for five minutes or treated with chlorine or iodine as done for drinking water. Screening and schistosomiasis is treatable with drugs. Avoid contact with potentially contaminated water.

RABIES

The countries are rural areas or in areas where large numbers of dogs are found.

How to prevent this disease? Any animal bite should receive prompt attention. Wounds cleaned with large amounts of soap and water, receive medical attention and advice on post-exposure preventive treatment.

There are no requirements for vaccination, but pre-exposure vaccination is recommended for:

- Travelers visiting, for more than 30 days, foreign areas where rabies is known to exist.

- Veterinarians and animal handlers;

- Spelunkers.

- Certain laboratory workers.