Give your health a well-earned break

MANY years ago, sun-seekers were warned about the dangers of drinking the water in Spain.

Consumption of tap water is still a no-no in certain countries but the range of dangers for holidaymakers has increased as time goes on. The Irish Society of Travel Medicine has been sounding off for some time now about health risks for those travelling abroad, but it appears the warnings have fallen on deaf ears.

One of the major threats to health safety is Hepatitis B and results of a survey reveal that only 37% of people travelling to what it termed as at risk destinations have been vaccinated against it. The sexually active should note that AIDS is not nearly as common a disease.

In fact, Hepatitis B, which hits the liver and can cause cancer and death, is 100 times more infectious than AIDS. The virus is commonly carried through blood or other body fluids. Just a droplet of fluid could be enough . Between 1997 and 2000, there was a five-fold increase in the incidence of the disease and later statistics show this trend is continuing. Of course, dangers to health abroad are not all of a sexual nature.

Hepatitis B can be picked up through the innocent activity of having a wet shave or a pedicure. Fifty per cent of those who had casual sex whilst abroad had not taken precautionary measures. Ninety per cent of travellers who took part in high risk sporting activities like jet skiing, parasailing, bungee jumping and motor cycling had not been vaccinated. Hepatitis A, whilst the lesser of the two evils, can be a nasty piece of goods and is 100 to 1000 times more common in travellers than other diseases such as malaria, typhoid, cholera, polio or rabies.

Mortality rates are low but it usually causes jaundice and the majority of northern Europeans have become infected as a result of travel to a foreign country. It is spread predominantly by the faecal oral route but can also be transmitted by contaminated food and water. Travellers engaging in what comes naturally to men and women, those straying off the beaten track and even just the adventurous traveller, should heed the advice of the Irish Society of Travel Medicine get vaccinated. Both are preventable diseases. A complete course of Hepatitis B vaccine can provide protection for up to five years and the Hepatitis A vaccine can offer immunity against the virus for up to double that time.

Whilst the focus of attention right now appears to be on both these diseases, travellers should not forget about additional viruses lurking out there. And these are not confined to exotic out of the way destinations.

Information on travel health and vaccinations is available on www.travelvax.net.