Measles, Mumps and Rubella are highly infectious diseases that are transmitted through coughing, sneezing and direct contact with respiratory secretions. All the diseases are present worldwide.
Measles symptoms include: rash, flu-like symptoms, conjunctivitis and cough. It can be a very serious disease, particularly in children, with thousands of deaths reported worldwide each year.
Mumps symptoms include: fever, headache, joint pain and swelling of the salivary glands. For most people serious complications are rare, however, mumps can lead to viral meningitis and swelling of the testicles in males and ovaries in females who have gone through puberty.
Rubella, also known as German measles, is usually a mild infection with symptoms similar to the common cold. If caught in pregnancy rubella can cause miscarriage or multiple birth defects.
Advice for Travellers
In the UK all children are offered vaccination against MMR during their childhood as part of the UK childhood vaccine programme. The UK MMR vaccination programme was introduced in 1988. Those born between 1980 and 1990 may not have received two doses of vaccine and should have a booster before travel.
The diseases are still very common in many parts of Asia, Africa, the Indian sub-continent and South America. Outbreaks also occur in many developed countries including the USA, Canada, japan and the UK. In the past month alone there have been reports of measles outbreaks in the following countries: Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Israel, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia and Somalia. (Source: NATHNAC)
All travellers should ensure they are up to date with their MMR vaccine. This is particularly important for travellers who may be around children, living or working with locals or attending mass gatherings on their trip. Two doses of the MMR vaccine gives lifetime protection against all three diseases. If travellers have not had an MMR vaccine or the diseases then they should have 2 doses of MMR vaccine 4 weeks apart. MMR is a live vaccine and needs to be given on the same day as other live vaccines such as Yellow Fever or BCG, or separated by 4 weeks.
To book an appointment for an MMR vaccine call 01273 749100 or book ONLINE.
A 50 year old woman has died of rabies following a dog bite whilst on holiday in Goa, India. The lady, of Indian origin, did not have pre- exposure rabies vaccinations before travel and did not seek any medical advice for 2 months after the dog bite. Unfortunately, the woman who did not present to the medical profession until symptoms of rabies had appeared was at first turned away from A & E at a Kent hospital. A spokesman for the hospital said that as the UK is rabies-free, if a patient went to a hospital with vague symptoms, a doctor was unlikely to consider rabies as a diagnosis unless the patient highlighted wild animal contact in an at-risk country. “The hospital responded to the information supplied by the patient at the time,” he said.
The UK is rabies free; however, travelling to an area of high risk can pose a risk. In the last 10 years there have been four cases of imported rabies:
What is Rabies?
Rabies is a virus found in the salvia of an infected animal and is transmitted from the bite or scratch of an infected domestic or wild animal. Dog bites account for 99% of human rabies deaths. Initial symptoms of rabies include fever, pain and tingling at the wound site. As the virus spread through the nervous system inflammation of the brain and spinal cord occurs. Rabies is always fatal. The incubation period is usually 1-3 months, but can be from as little as 1 week up to 1 year.
Rabies is present in 150 countries worldwide and it is estimated that 55,000 people die from rabies every year.
Advice for Travellers
There is a very effective vaccine that can protect you against rabies. The vaccine should be given before you travel. Three doses of vaccine are required on days 0, 7 and 21 or 28. In the event of a bite or scratch you will need to seek medical advice and get two more top up vaccines.
If you have not had any rabies vaccine before you travel and you get bitten by an animal you will need to seek immediate medical treatment. In this instance you will need to receive a full course of rabies vaccine and a treatment called rabies immune globulin (RIG). RIG is a blood product and is not readily available in many countries, so if you are at risk it is recommended that you receive pre -exposure rabies vaccines before travel.
Am I at risk?
Your nurse will do an assessment to see if you need for pre-exposure rabies vaccine.
Assessment includes:
Rabies pre-exposure vaccine should generally be given to adults and children who are at risk of rabies. These include:
To book an appointment for a rabies vaccine please call 01273 749100 or book online
References
Sussex Travel Clinic now has injectable typhoid vaccine back in stock. Over the past few months there have been supply problems with injectable typhoid vaccine in the UK. Manufacturers Sanofi Pasteur have now confirmed that injectable typhoid vaccine is now available.
During the time that injectable typhoid vaccine was not available Sussex Travel Clinic offered the oral typhoid vaccine to travellers that needed protection. The clinic now has adequate supplies of both the oral and injectable vaccines. Oral typhoid vaccine is taken in tablet form over a period of five days and is ideal for those that are needle phobic.
To discuss further please call the clinic on 01273 749100 or book an appointment online.
If you are planning a trip abroad it is a good idea to register with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) LOCATE service. Registraion is simple and free. Your details will be saved so that you can simply log in and change your details for future trips.
The FCO Locate service is for British nationals only. If you are planning on travelling abroad, even for a short trip, register your details so that in the event of an emergency such as a terrorist attack or tsunami, British embassy staff will be better equipped to offer you assistance.
Benefits of registering with LOCATE?
Before you travel.
When planning a trip abroad it is important to plan so that you have a safe and healthy trip. Things to consider include:
To book travel vaccinations or discuss malaria requirements call 01273 749100 or book online.
We have been informed by the manufacturers of the following vaccines that there will be a supply problem for the foreseeable future.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced that supplies of Typhoid Vaccine and Combined Hepatitis A/ Typhoid vaccine will not be available until the second quarter of 2014. The delay in supply has been constrained due to a delay in a new manufacturing facility.GSK has had to concentrate production on critical childhood vaccines as prioritised by the World Health Organization.
Sanofi Pasteur MSD has reported a temporary interruption to supplies of Typhim Vi, Typhoid Vaccine. Supplies will become available from the end of February 2012.
How will this affect me?
Sussex Travel Clinic has adequate supplies of Oral Typhoid vaccine available and plenty of Hepatitis A vaccine in stock.
Hepatitis A and Typhoid are caught through consuming contaminated food and water. If you are travelling to a country where these diseases are common it is important you get vaccinated before you travel.
Please call 01273 749100 to book an appointment.
According to a recent report on Promed, the Department of Health in Australia is warning Western Australians against having tattoo’s abroad. This is in response to a confirmed case of HIV in an Australian where evidence of infection points to a recent tattoo received in Bali, Indonesia.
Having tattoo’s, body piercing and acupuncture abroad is not advised. While tattooists in the UK and Australia must comply with a code of practice and strict regulations, this is not always so in tattoo parlours overseas. Equipment used can be contaminated with blood and can pose a risk of contracting blood- borne infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. These blood – borne infections are transmitted through blood to blood contact or sexual activity. Hepatitis B can be prevented by having a course of vaccinations; however HIV and Hepatitis C are not vaccine preventable.
Advice for Travellers
In the second part of our question and answer posts we look at Rabies vaccination.
Q: I am planning to back pack around South East Asia for 2 months should I have the rabies vaccine?
A: Yes we would definitely recommend a course of rabies vaccine. Rabies is spread through a bite, scratch or a lick on broken skin from an infected animal. It is estimated that there are between 50000 and 60000 deaths from rabies worldwide each year. Over half these deaths occur in South East Asia and rabies is almost always fatal.
If you do not have pre-exposure rabies vaccine before you travel you would require a treatment called rabies immune globulin (RIG). This must be administered within 24hrs following a bite/lick/scratch from a potentially infected animal. Human RIG is manufactured from the blood of immunized volunteers. Receiving any blood product abroad is never recommended unless you can be certain it has been screened for blood borne diseases such as H.I.V. RIG is not always available in many developing countries.
Having three doses of rabies vaccine pre-travel eliminates the need for R.I.G and primes your immune system so that treatment after exposure would be successful.
If you are travelling to a rabies endemic country for 4 weeks or more, or likely to be more than 24 hours away from good medical facilities and a reliable source of RIG, you should consider getting a course of rabies before you travel. The vaccine is given on days 0, 7 and 21 or 28.
To book an appointment at Sussex Travel Clinic call 01273 749100 or book ONLINE
Over the coming weeks I will be posting some common questions that we get asked at the Travel Clinic. This week’s post looks at vaccinations required for travel to Egypt.
Q: I am travelling to Egypt for a 2 week holiday, do I need any vaccinations or malaria tablets?
A: Egypt is becoming an increasingly popular destination for UK travellers. The year round climate makes it the perfect choice for those wanting to escape the UK weather for some guaranteed sunshine all year round. Many people who book a holiday to Egypt do not realise that any vaccinations are required.
The recommended vaccinations for travel to Egypt are Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio, Hepatitis A and Typhoid. Protection against food and water-borne diseases such as Polio, Hepatitis A and Typhoid are very important as you could become infected through eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Staying in a 5* hotel does not reduce your risk, as the people preparing your food may live in areas where sanitation is poor and could pass on these diseases whilst preparing your food.
Malaria tablets are generally not required for Egypt, as malaria is not present in the popular tourist destinations. However, there will still be lots of mosquitoes around, so you should take a good DEET based insect repellent to apply on your skin and help you avoid bites. Book an appointment with your travel clinic, ideally at least 2 weeks before departure, to get your vaccinations and to get further travel health advice on food and water hygiene and mosquito bite avoidance.
Egypt is a high risk destination for traveller’s diarrhoea. Bimuno has been shown to reduce your risk of getting diarrhoea- Available to purchase in clinic.
To book an appointment at Sussex Travel Clinic call 01273 749100 or book ONLINE
The rabies virus is spread through the bite or scratch of an infected warm –blooded animal, most commonly dogs, and is nearly always fatal. The virus attacks the central nervous system, causing paralysis, encephalitis and coma.
The World Health Organisation estimate that, more than 3 billion people are at risk of contracting rabies in at least 85 countries worldwide, with the annual number of deaths worldwide caused by rabies is estimated to be between 50,000 and 60,000. [1].
In this weeks post we look at countries reporting rabies in 2011.
Countries Reporting Rabies cases in 2011 (June – December)
Angola
Angola is reporting an increase in rabies in animals during 2011. 405 people have been bitten by potentially rabid animals with 12 deaths since the beginning of the year.
Australia
A women from Brisbane in Queensland, Australia received rabies post-exposure prophylaxis following an attack by three foxes or fruit bats while she was on her balcony.
Bhutan
In 2011 it has been reported that five people have died from rabies in Bhutan. Dogs accounted for 39% of the cases, while the main transmitters of rabies in Bhutan are cattle 55%
Bolivia
Bolivia had reported at 60% increase in cases of canine rabies in 2011. There have been 208 confirmed cases of canine rabies with three human deaths reported in 2011.
China
In Shanghai it has been reported I that during 2011 there has been an increase of dog attacks on residents.40,000 people have been bitten by a pet, a 40% increase from 2010. In 2010 there was 1 case of rabies, this year 6 cases have been reported. Beijing reported six human deaths from rabies in the first six months of the year and in Chongqing in Southern China there were a total of 38 deaths from rabies in the first half of the year.
Ecuador
A total of nine human deaths from rabies were reported by the ministry of Health of Ecuador on 28 Nov 2011. An on-going mass vaccination programme is being conducted in the affected communities in canton Taisha, Morona-Santiago.
India
In Chennai at least 20 people have died of rabies in the first half of 2011. General hospitals in Tamil Nadu reported 12 deaths due to rabies in 2010. In Visakhapatnam, sea port on the south east coast of India a rabies death was reported in July 2011 and a boy died in the Khammam district. also in July 2011.
Indonesia
The rabies epidemic continues in Bali, as of June 2011, over 100 deaths caused by rabies have been reported. In Borneo at least 858 rabies cases have been reported, including one death. In east Nusa Tenggara a total of 800 dog bites have been reported this year. An on-going shortage of rabies vaccine has been reported in Kab Sikka regency and in other areas of the province.
Kazakhstan
In July 2011 a 10-year-old boy was hospitalized in the KyzylordaOblast with suspected rabies.
Pakistan
Rawalpindi city has reported an increase of dog attacks on residents. Every month more than 100 dog-bite cases are being with the number continuously on the rise.
Peru
In 2011 a total of 20 human rabies cases have been reported so far. Of the 20 deaths 19 were in natives of the Amazonas region who were bitten by bats. In a remote village in the Atalaya province a rabid cattle had to be slaughtered and a total of 87 people consumed the infected meat in November 2011. All persons involved received rabies post-exposure prophylaxis.
Russia
In the first nine months of 2011 in Russia ten people contracted rabies, of which three cases were reported in the Tverskaya province. In 2010 there were 17 cases of human rabies in the Russian Federation.
Svalbard and Jan Mayen (Norway)
Three reindeer were reported to have tested positive for rabies on 27 Sept 2011.
Ukraine
Ukraine has reported 5 cases of human rabies in 2011. 100,000 – 120,000 people seek medical treatment for animal bites every year in the Ukraine.
USA
There have been reports of rabies cases in racoons in Florida in 2011 and in Texas they are reporting a rise in the cases of animal rabies with 591 reported in the first six months of the year. In Jul 2011, a 73-year-old woman tested positive for rabies. She was bitten by a dog in her native Haiti in Apr 2011. Animal rabies was also reported in Illinois and New York.
Vietnam
In June 2011 an outbreak of rabies amongst domestic dogs in the Si Ma Cai District of northern Lao Cai Province was reported.
Zambia
In October 2011 an outbreak of rabies was reported in Mansa district with 14 cases. One human death was reported in Mwang’uni , the person had become infected after being bitten by a dog.
Advice for Traveller’s
If you are travelling to country where rabies is present for 4 weeks or more, or if you are likely to be more than 24 hours away from a reliable source of vaccine and treatment, then you should consider having a course of rabies vaccines pre travel. Many countries do not have a supply of rabies immunoglobulin, the treatment you need if you have not had any rabies vaccines, so you should consider having the vaccine before you go.
To book a rabies vaccine please call 01273 749100 or book ONLINE
References
Which diseases & illnesses do we cover?
Sussex Travel Clinic Ltd. Registered in England No 06207031. Copyright © 2025
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
