How to avoid travel-related illnesses

Having recently returned from a two-month-long holiday, I have to admit I've got a bit of the post-travel blues. While it's always a bit of a downer to return from travelling, the trip home is much worse if you come back with a travel-related illness. I'm not one to worry too much about things like SARS and Avian Flu -- I'm no expert but I think the danger of either for a healthy adult is very low -- I do think it is important to be aware of the types of bug you can pick up in the location you're visiting.

Both the US and Canadian governments have sites that detail potential risks in most countries as well as vaccinations and tips for staying healthy. Check out this article for a quick break-down of what you might pick up from contamiated water or food, insects or other people. Various forms of hepatitis as well as malaria and yellow fever are a few of the big ones to protect yourself against.

I have a friend who contracted Dengue Fever in Vietnam, and as a result ended up delerious for the last few days of her trip. Eventually some of her skin peeled off and chunks of her hair fell out in response to having such a massively high fever. There was a big scare in the city where I live last week when a young woman came back from a holiday in Thailand, returned to work at a local gastro-pub and then started to show symptoms of Hepatitis A. As a result, the eatery had to shut down for a few days and everyone who had eaten there recently had to line up for a booster shot. So while it may seem like the risk is low, the results of coming down with a nasty illness while travelling make it worth educating yourself and taking preventative measures before you go.