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Health risks: typhoid
(Also known as enteric fever, Typhoid is transmitted via food and
water, and symptomless carriers, especially when they're working as
food handlers, are an important source of infection. Typhoid is caused
by a type of salmonella bacteria, Salmonella typhi. Paratyphoid is
a similar but milder disease. The symptoms are variable, but you almost
always get a fever and headache to start with, which initially feels
very similar to flu, with aches and pains, loss of appetite and general
malaise. Typhoid may be confused with malaria. The fever gradually
rises during a week. Characteristically your pulse is relatively slow
for someone with a fever. Other symptoms you may have are constipation
or diarrhoea and stomach pains. You may feel worse in the second week,
with a constant fever and sometimes a red skin rash. Other symptoms
you may have are severe headache, sore throat and jaundice. Serious
complications occur in about one in 10 cases, including, most commonly,
damage to the gut wall with subsequent leakage of the gut contents
into the abdominal cavity. Seek medical help for any fever (38?C and
higher) that does not improve after 48 hours. Typhoid is a serious
disease and is not something you should consider self-treating. Re-hydration
therapy is important if diarrhoea has been a feature of the illness,
but antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment), yellow fever (Yellow
fever is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. There
is an effective vaccine against yellow fever, so if you have been
immunised, you can basically rule this disease out. Symptoms of yellow
fever range from a mild fever which resolves over a few days to more
serious forms with fever, headache, muscle pains, abdominal pain and
vomiting. This can progress to bleeding, shock and liver and kidney
failure. The liver failure causes jaundice, or yellowing of your skin
and the whites of your eyes – hence the name. There's no specific
treatment but you should seek medical help urgently if you think you
have yellow fever), hepatitis (Several different viruses cause hepatitis;
they differ in the way that they are transmitted. The symptoms in
all forms of the illness include fever, chills, headache, fatigue,
feelings of weakness and aches and pains, followed by loss of appetite,
nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, light-coloured faeces,
jaundiced (yellow) skin and yellowing of the whites of the eyes. Hepatitis
A is transmitted by contaminated food and drinking water. Seek medical
advice, but there is not much you can do apart from resting, drinking
lots of fluids, eating lightly and avoiding fatty foods. Hepatitis
E is transmitted in the same way as hepatitis A; it can be particularly
serious in pregnant women. Hepatitis B is spread through contact with
infected blood, blood products or body fluids, for example through
sexual contact, unsterilised needles (and shaving equipment) and blood
transfusions, or contact with blood via small breaks in the skin.
The symptoms of hepatitis B may be more severe than type A and the
disease can lead to long-term problems such as chronic liver damage,
liver cancer or a long-term carrier state. Hepatitis C and D are spread
in the same way as hepatitis B and can also lead to long-term complications.
There are vaccines against hepatitis A and B, but there are currently
no vaccines against the other types. Following the basic rules about
food and water (hepatitis A and E) and avoiding risk situations (hepatitis
B, C and D) are important preventative measures), HIV/AIDS (HIV (Human
Immuno-deficiency Virus) develops into AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome), which is a fatal disease. Any exposure to blood, blood
products or body fluids may put the individual at risk. The disease
is often transmitted through sexual contact or dirty needles - body
piercing, acupuncture, tattooing and vaccinations can be potentially
as dangerous as intravenous drug use. HIV and AIDS can also be spread
via infected blood transfusions, but blood supplies in most reputable
hospitals are now screened, so the risk from transfusions is low.
If you do need an injection, ask to see the syringe unwrapped in front
of you, or take a needle and syringe pack with you. Fear of HIV infection
should not preclude treatment for any serious medical conditions.
Most countries have organisations and services for HIV-positive folk
and people with AIDS. For a list of organizations divided by country,
plus descriptions of their services, see www.aidsmap.com), cholera
(This diarrhoeal disease can cause rapid dehydration and death. Cholera
is caused by a bacteria, Vibrio cholerae. It’s transmitted from person
to person by direct contact (often via healthy carriers of the disease)
or via contaminated food and water. It can be spread by seafood, including
crustaceans and shellfish, which get infected via sewage. Cholera
exists where standards of environmental and personal hygiene are low.
Every so often there are massive epidemics, usually due to contaminated
water in conditions where there is a breakdown of the normal infrastructure.
The time between becoming infected and symptoms appearing is usually
short, between one and five days. The diarrhoea starts suddenly, and
pours out of you. It’s characteristically described as ‘ricewater’
diarrhoea because it is watery and flecked with white mucus. Vomiting
and muscle cramps are usual, but fever is rare. In its most serious
form, it causes a massive outpouring of fluid (up to 20L a day). This
is the worst case scenario – only about one in 10 sufferers get this
severe form. It’s a self-limiting illness, meaning that if you don’t
succumb to dehydration, it will end in about a week without any treatment.
You should seek medical help urgently; in the meantime, start re-hydration
therapy with oral re-hydration salts. You may need antibiotic treatment
with tetracycline, but fluid replacement is the single most important
treatment strategy in cholera. Prevention is by taking basic food
and water precautions, avoiding seafood and having scrupulous personal
hygiene. The currently available vaccine is not thought worthwhile
as it provides only limited protection for a short time), malaria
(This occurs in Nairobi and other moderately high-altitude areas.
If you are travelling in endemic areas it is extremely important to
avoid mosquito bites and to take tablets to prevent this disease.
Symptoms range from fever, chills and sweating, headache, diarrhoea
and abdominal pains to a vague feeling of ill-health. Seek medical
help immediately if malaria is suspected. Without treatment malaria
can rapidly become more serious and can be fatal. If medical care
is not available, malaria tablets can be used for treatment. You should
seek medical advice, before you travel, on the right medication and
dosage for you. If you do contract malaria, be sure to be re-tested
for malaria once you return home as you can harbour malaria parasites
in your body even if you are symptom free. Travellers are advised
to prevent mosquito bites at all times. The main messages are: wear
light-coloured clothing; wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts;
use mosquito repellents containing the compound DEET on exposed areas
(prolonged overuse of DEET may be harmful, especially to children,
but its use is considered preferable to being bitten by disease-transmitting
mosquitoes); avoid perfumes and aftershave; use a mosquito net impregnated
with mosquito repellent (permethrin) – it may be worth taking your
own, and impregnating clothes with permethrin effectively deters mosquitoes
and other insects.), schistosomiasis (bilharzia) (Also known as bilharzia,
this disease is carried in freshwater by tiny worms that enter through
the skin and attach themselves to the intestines or bladder. The first
symptom may be tingling and sometimes a light rash around the area
where the worm entered. Weeks later, a high fever may develop. A general
unwell feeling may be the first symptom, or there may be no symptoms.
Once the disease is established, abdominal pain and blood in the urine
are other signs. The infection often causes no symptoms until the
disease is well established (several months to years after exposure),
and damage to internal organs is irreversible. Avoid swimming or bathing
in freshwater where bilharzia is present. Even deep water can be infected.
If you do get wet, dry off quickly and dry your clothes as well. A
blood test is the most reliable test, but it will not show positive
until a number of weeks after exposure), meningococcal meningitis
(Not every headache is likely to be meningitis. There is an effective
vaccine available which is often recommended for travel to epidemic
areas. Generally, you're at pretty low risk of getting meningococcal
meningitis, unless an epidemic is ongoing, but the disease is important
because it can be very serious and rapidly fatal. You get infected
by breathing in droplets coughed or sneezed into the air by sufferers
or, more likely, by healthy carriers of the bacteria. You're more
at risk in crowded, poorly ventilated places, including public transport
and eating places. The symptoms of meningitis are fever, severe headache,
neck stiffness that prevents you from bending your head forward, nausea,
vomiting and sensitivity to light, which makes you prefer the darkness.
With meningococcal meningitis, you may get a widespread, blotchy purple
rash before any other symptoms appear. Meningococcal meningitis is
an extremely serious disease that can cause death within a few hours
of you first feeling unwell. Seek medical help without delay if you
have any of the symptoms listed earlier, especially if you are in
a risk area. If you've been in close contact with a sufferer it's
best to seek medical advice)
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +3
Dialling Code: 254
Electricity: 240V ,50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric
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When to Go
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The main tourist season is in January and February,
since the hot, dry weather at this time of year is generally considered
to be the most pleasant. It's also when Kenya's birdlife flocks to
the Rift Valley lakes in the greatest numbers. June to September could
be called the 'shoulder season' as the weather is still dry. The rains
hit from March to May (and to a lesser extent from October to December).
During these months things are much quieter - places tend to have
rooms available and prices drop. The rains generally don't affect
travellers' ability to get around.
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Yellow Fewer
For Thai Tourist |
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YELLOW FEVER
International Communicable Disease Control Office Department of
Communicable Disease Control Ministry of Public Health
Tel. 0-2590-3233-5
YELLOW FEVER
"YELLOW FEVER' is a contagious disease. The disease is caused
by the yellow fever virus from the bite of aedes mosquito and can
transmit dengue hemorrhagic fever as well.
The typical case is characterized by sudden onset ,fever, chills,
headache, generalized muscle pain, prostration, nausea and vomiting.
Common hemorrhagic symptoms include nasal bleeding, buccal bleeding,
hematemesis (Coffee-ground or black vomit) and melena (black stool).
Jaundice is moderate early in the course of disease and is intensifiled
later. Most of the patients are dead from hepatic and renal failure.
There is no specific treatment for "YELLOW FEVER"
Prevention
Vaccination is the important measure for prevention of yellow fever.
It is highly recommended for travelers to high - risk areas.
The passengers should be vaccinated within 10 days before entering
the infected area. A single dose of vaccine provides protection
for 10 years. Furthermore during the journeys, traveler must protect
themselves against mosquito bites by sleeping in a bed net and/or
using mosquito repellents. The traveler who is arriving in Thailand
from infected area and does not have valid certificate must be vaccinated
against yellow fever and kept under personal surveillance within
a period of six days.
Yellow Fever Vaccination is a must for
travelers from these countries.
Africa
Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Cote
D'lvoire, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo,
Eauatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Ethiopia, Guineabissau,
Kenya, Liberia, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria,Rwanda, Saotome&
Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, United
Republic of Tanzania.
South America
Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, French-Guiana, Panama,
Peru, Venezuela, Suriname
Yellow Fever vaccinating Services in Thailand
Bangkok Metropolitan and vicinities
Immigration Medical Office,
Immigration Bureau, Sathorn Road.
Tel. 0-2286-5114
International vaccination Room, Department of Communicable Disease
Control,Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi Province Tel.0-2590-3182,0-2591-8393
Port Health Office, Bangkok International Airport
Tel.0-2535-1482
Port Health Office, Bangkok Port.
Tel. 0-2249-4110-0-2249-4118
Provinces
Port Health Office, Chiangmai Airport.
Tel.0-5392-2133
Port Health Office, Hadyai Airport.
Tel.0-7425-1548
Port Health Officwe, Phuket Airport.
Tel.0-7635-1128
Port Health Office,Laem Chabung port
Tel.0-3840-1112
Port Health Office, Songkla Port.
Tel.0-7433-1206
Port Health Office, Phukrt Port
Tel. 0-7621-2108
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