[Click! Health] Infectious Disease Alert Amid Soaring Overseas Travel... "Must Prepare Thoroughly"

As countries around the world ease quarantine measures, the number of international travelers is increasing, prompting advice on the need for thorough preparation against infectious diseases.

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According to Professor Imi Sook of the Department of Infectious Immunology at Kyung Hee University Hospital, major infectious diseases to be cautious of during overseas travel include waterborne infections caused by food intake (travelers' diarrhea, cholera, typhoid fever, bacillary dysentery, hepatitis A) and mosquito-borne infections (dengue fever, Zika virus, malaria). Professor Im advises, "It is possible to prevent these diseases sufficiently by carefully checking endemic diseases prevalent based on the climate, lifestyle, and travel timing of each country, and by receiving appropriate vaccinations, taking preventive medications, and preparing essential medicines."

Typhoid fever is a disease transmitted when Salmonella typhi bacteria, excreted in the feces or urine of patients or carriers, contaminate food or water. Symptoms such as headache, chills, fever, abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea appear between 7 to 28 days after infection. Severe symptoms can persist and develop into serious complications like intestinal perforation and peritonitis, so caution is necessary.

Bacillary dysentery also presents with diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain as main symptoms and mainly affects children. The dysentery bacteria are resistant to acid and do not die passing through stomach acid. Diarrhea begins 12 hours to 3 days after infection.

Professor Im states, "Most waterborne infectious diseases recover naturally, but in high-risk groups such as infants, young children, the elderly, and those with chronic underlying diseases, frequent diarrhea can cause dehydration symptoms, so it is advisable to maintain adequate hydration and combine with antibiotic treatment." She emphasizes, "During travel, it is best to consume water and food that have been thoroughly boiled and cooked, always peel fruits before eating, and maintain hand hygiene at all times."

A representative mosquito-borne infectious disease is dengue fever. Unlike the Anopheles mosquito that bites at night and transmits malaria, dengue fever is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito, which primarily bites during the day in tropical forests. Over 100 million people worldwide are infected annually. After an incubation period of 4 to 7 days following infection with the dengue virus, symptoms such as fever, rash, and muscle pain appear. In children, dengue virus infection can lead to severe dengue fever, including dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome. Severe dengue fever can cause serious complications such as severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, gum bleeding, respiratory distress, and severe bleeding, which can be fatal.

Professor Im notes, "Domestic dengue fever cases have been contracted overseas in Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, and Indonesia, and there have been no cases of local transmission in Korea yet." She stresses, "Since there are currently no preventive vaccines or treatments for dengue fever, it is most important to know mosquito prevention methods (using mosquito repellents and nets, wearing light-colored long clothing, etc.) and avoid mosquito bites when traveling to dengue-risk countries."

She continues, "During travel, avoid areas densely covered with bushes where mosquitoes are abundant, always wear long sleeves and long pants when going out, use insect repellents, and choose accommodations with window screens or mosquito nets and good air conditioning to minimize contact with mosquitoes." She advises, "Before departure, be sure to get vaccinations related to the travel area, and if suspicious symptoms appear within two weeks after being bitten by a mosquito in a dengue-risk country, visit a medical institution, inform the medical staff of recent travel history, and receive prompt diagnosis and treatment."

Professor Lee Misook, Department of Infectious Immunology, Kyung Hee University Hospital.
[Photo by Kyung Hee University Hospital]

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.