Serious infections can develop whilst traveling abroad from the bite of an infected mosquito, tick, or animal.Being informed about travel health before traveling means reducing your risk of getting ill.
Here’s a little cheat sheet on some of the more common types of encephalitis for which there are prevention measures, including vaccination.Trekking through Asia and the Western Pacific is certainly one for the bucket list! However, there is a troublemaker all intrepid travelers must be made aware of: the Japanese encephalitis virus. This pathogen is spread through the bites of one of the world's deadliest critters—the mosquito.
Thriving in woodland habitats, such as forests and grasslands, tick populations increase in wet summers and mild winters. In central Europe, two peaks of tick activity have been observed in April-May and in September-October. Be careful—the incidence of TBE in Europe has been increasing, even in countries like the UK. And remember: A single tick bite can be lethal.
Rabies is found throughout the world but more commonly in developing countries where fewer animals are vaccinated. There is no treatment for rabies, and almost all cases are fatal