Winter2016AlertDiver

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Q: My wife and I love
to travel to exotic
destinations, and
my previous doctor used
to give me antibiotics in
case I got sick in a remote
location. I have a new
primary care physician
who is hesitant to do
this. What does DAN
recommend?
A: For some time
now prescribing
guidelines regarding
antibiotic use for various
conditions have favored a
much more conservative approach due to increasing
antibiotic resistance. Many illnesses are viral in nature,
and antibiotics are of no benefit in these cases. If you get
sick while traveling, a local physician is your best resource;
he or she will be aware of the common pathogens that
cause problems in the area you are visiting.
When traveling, your best defenses against illness are
handwashing, careful sourcing of water and food, getting
relevant travel immunizations and taking appropriate
precautions in areas where mosquitoes and other living
organisms can transmit infectious diseases to humans.
Talk to your doctor or visit a travel medicine clinic if you
will be going to a region in which medical care is lacking.
The doctor can advise you about any medications you
should take with you and when to use them.
— Scott Smith, EMT-P, DMT
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STEPHEN FRINK
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