The symptoms
Some (but not all) of those exposed to Lyme disease develop a circular or oval rash after being bitten. It also causes flu-like symptoms – a high temperature, shivering, headaches, and muscle and joint pain, as well as tiredness and lethargy.
How to prevent it
Wear light-coloured clothing to make ticks easier to spot, tuck trousers into socks, check your body for ticks after going outdoors. If you find a tick, use a special tick removal tool to detach them from your skin. Don’t just try to pick them off or you could leave the head behind and cause infection.
When to seek medical attention
If you find a tick or develop symptoms after spending time in areas known for Lyme disease, see a doctor to discuss antibiotic treatment with doxycycline. Getting treated early is key to preventing more serious health issues.
A group of viruses carried by rodents in some areas of Europe, Africa and Asia.
The symptoms
These vary depending on the strain, from a mild, flu-like illness to severe respiratory conditions such as pulmonary syndrome, a potentially fatal lung condition.
The cause
It’s transmitted through mice and rat droppings and urine – most often through inhalation of dust or aerosols. Person-to-person transmission is also rare, only occurring with the Andes virus strain (as seen during the recent cruise ship outbreak in the South Atlantic).
How to prevent it
Cases are uncommon – I’ve never seen one – and you simply can’t plan your travels in a way that guarantees avoiding exposure. For this type of unforeseen risk, make sure you have good medical insurance in place so that you can be evacuated if the unexpected happens.
When to seek medical attention
If you develop flu-like symptoms within one to eight weeks of potential exposure. There is currently no specific antiviral treatment available, so treatment is for symptoms only.
Contagious infections that cause liver inflammation.
The symptoms
Both hepatitis A and B have either no symptoms or mild ones, including fever and jaundice, tiredness, stomach pain and nausea, dark urine or pale yellow or grey faeces.
The causes
Hepatitis A is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with faeces from someone else who carries the virus. Hepatitis B is blood‑borne so can be spread through bodily fluids. The main risks for travellers are from accidents and injuries, medical and dental treatment, piercings, tattooing, needle sharing and sex.
How to prevent them
There’s a very safe and effective hepatitis A vaccine available on the NHS for those at risk. The hepatitis B vaccine has been included with the standard childhood vaccinations since August 2017, so anyone under the age of nine will already be covered, but I do encourage young people who go travelling to get vaccinated as they are more likely to be exposed through the activities listed above.
When to seek medical attention
If you have symptoms of hepatitis A or B and have recently travelled to a country where hepatitis is common – including parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Central and South America – seek medical advice.
An easily treatable infection spread through unclean food or water.
The symptoms
Within six to 30 days of exposure you would experience fever, diarrhoea or constipation, coughing, headache and chills. Later, you might develop a pink rash and diarrhoea.
The cause
Typhoid is caught through drinking contaminated water, or eating food that has not been cooked thoroughly or has been washed in dirty water. It is common in parts of Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. Most people in the UK who report symptoms have recently been to Pakistan, India or Bangladesh.
How to prevent it
Make sure you’re vaccinated before you travel if going to an area where it is prevalent. Regardless, you should wash your hands regularly and use hand sanitiser when you can’t, drink bottled water, avoid ice, salads and uncooked fruit and vegetables you can’t peel or wash yourself, and unpasteurised dairy products.
When to seek medical attention
If you have a fever that lasts more than a couple of days after travelling to a high-risk area. It’s easily treated with antibiotics, but delayed diagnosis can lead to complications such as internal bleeding, so it’s best not to wait too long if you experience symptoms.
Three mosquito-borne viral infections.
The symptoms
Dengue (or breakbone) fever is the most severe of the three, causing sudden high temperatures, intense headaches, pain behind the eyes, and severe muscle and joint pain. In the worst cases, patients develop internal bleeding and shock.
Chikungunya also causes fever and agonising joint pain, with pain and stiffness lasting weeks or even years after infection.
In most people, Zika causes no or only very mild symptoms (headache, fever, sore eyes and rashes), but it can cause birth defects if passed on during pregnancy. In rare cases, it can cause Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks peripheral nerves, leading to muscle weakness, tingling and even paralysis.