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Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease affecting the central nervous system
that is most often transmitted through infected saliva from a
dog or wild-animal bite. Nearly all cases of infection are fatal
to those without immunization. Post-exposure vaccinations
are effective for preventing rabies if they are administered
before symptoms develop. Initial symptoms may last for days
following a bite, are similar to the flu and include generalized
weakness, fever and headache. Symptoms then progress from
anxiety, confusion and agitation to delirium, hallucinations,
insomnia, paralysis, difficulty swallowing and hypersalivation.
Death usually occurs within days of these symptoms.
The CDC recommends avoidance of wild or unknown
animals such as dogs, cats, raccoons, skunks, ferrets, foxes,
monkeys and bats. If contact with any of these animals is
possible, consider getting vaccinated. Rabies vaccination
consists of a three-shot series administered over four weeks.
Even if you receive a pre-exposure vaccination, you will
still need immediate medical treatment if you are bitten or
scratched by an animal that is a potential carrier.
MalaRia
Malaria is a potentially fatal vector-borne infectious disease
transmitted to humans and other vertebrates from female
Anopheles mosquitoes. These night feeders can be found in
tropical and subtropical areas around the world, and they
may transmit protozoa of the genus Plasmodium into the
bloodstream when they take a blood meal. According to the
CDC, there were an estimated 216 million cases of malaria
worldwide in 2010 and approximately 655,000 deaths,
91 percent of which occurred in Africa.
The CDC and the WHO maintain listings of malaria risk
by country, island and specific region on their websites. As
you make your travel plans, consult these sites to determine
if malaria is endemic to your destination. With frequent
global travel there may be outbreaks in countries where
malaria is not normally found. The recommendations for
prophylactic medication are based on which medicine or
medicines are most effective for the risk area. The choice
of medicine is based on the strain of nonresistant malaria
dominant to the particular area.
“Preventing disease transmission and
infection is one of the most powerful
health-preservation techniques available.”
S T E P H E N F R I N K
I S T OC K P HO T O . COM