Holiday health warning - Greater Manchester

4 July 2008

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is warning people who are preparing for exotic foreign holidays that it is important to seek health advice before travelling and to take any pre-travel medication that is recommended for the countries they propose to visit.

Approximately 2,000 cases of malaria occur each year in UK travellers and a significant cause is failure to take preventative medication, which must be taken before travel to malarial countries, consistently throughout the trip and for a period after return.

Those most at risk are people travelling to visit friends and relatives in their own or their family's country of origin, who may mistakenly believe that they have immunity to the disease.

Amongst patients with malaria where the history of pre-travel medication was obtained, 83% (704 out of 844 questioned) had not taken any medication.

Mr. Chris Booth, Director of the HPA's Greater Manchester Health Protection Unit, said: "Many infections, whether serious diseases passed on by insect bites or stomach bugs picked up through consuming contaminated food or water, are avoidable if advice is sought prior to travel and followed during the trip.

"Yet a significant cause of malaria in UK travellers is failure to take appropriate preventative treatment. With approximately 2,000 cases of malaria occurring in UK travellers each year this clearly remains a significant issue and one we are very concerned about.

"Malaria is the most common imported infection that is caused by insect bites and the more serious form of the disease can be rapidly fatal.

"Our advice to anyone planning a trip outside Europe is to consult a travel medicine clinic or medical practitioner at least 4-8 weeks before travel and preferably earlier for people planning long-term travel or overseas work."
Anti-malarial treatment is vitally important, but not all diseases transmitted by mosquitoes can be prevented. Travellers to malarial areas therefore need to take care to cover up exposed skin, use insect repellent, wear loose-fitting long trousers and long sleeves when mosquitoes are around in the evenings and use mosquito netting around beds when sleeping.

It is also important when abroad to remember that immunisations or vaccines are not a substitute for avoiding potentially contaminated food and water.

Travellers are advised only to eat food that has been thoroughly cooked and to drink only well-sealed bottled or packaged cold drinks. Drinking-water should be boiled if there is a doubt about its safety. If boiling is not possible, a certified well-maintained filter and/or disinfectant agent can be used.

 

Notes to editors:

• The HPA has published guidelines on the prevention of malaria in travellers at http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/malaria/guidelines.htm.
• Members of the public should seek advice about their specific travel health needs from their GP or local travel clinic. Information sheets on insect bite avoidance and prevention of food and waterborne diseases, as well as updates on other travel health issues, are available on the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website at www.nathnac.org/travel/factsheets/iba.htm and www.nathnac.org/travel/news/index.htm. NaTHNaC also has an advice line which deals with queries from health professionals about patients with complex medical needs or travel itineraries (0845 602 6712 (local call rate); Monday - Friday, 09.00-12.00 14.00-16.30).
• The London region accounts for a large majority of cases of imported typhoid fever, with 106 cases reported between July 2007 and June 2008. The majority of these cases were acquired in the Indian subcontinent by people with family links in this area. There is a vaccine available that protects against typhoid but it is also important to only consume properly cooked food and to drink bottled, boiled or treated water rather than tap water.
• There are a range of diseases spread by contaminated water and food that can cause severe diarrhoea, including cholera and salmonella.  More common is travellers' diarrhoea which is usually a less serious, self-limiting illnesses, but which can make you feel very ill and can certainly be distressing enough to ruin a holiday or business trip. 
• Media enquiries to Hugh Lamont, Communications Manager, Health Protection Agency North West, on 0151-482-5728 or 07764-906508 or by email to hugh.lamont@hpa.org.uk
  

Last reviewed: 14 January 2009