Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Why You Should Vaccinate Before Traveling Abroad

Traveling outside of the country is an exhilarating and eye-opening experience. It is a great way to learn more about other cultures and yourself. Before leaving, it is important to educate ourselves about any potential risks we might face at our destination. 

There are many diseases found in new environments that can be a threat if we are not properly vaccinated against them. Mosquito-borne diseases are especially important to be aware of because mosquitos are everywhere. This article specifically covers mosquito-borne diseases and the importance of vaccinating yourself against them before traveling. 

Travel Safety: Why Vaccinate Before Traveling Abroad?

When you travel outside of the country, you open yourself up to the risk of diseases that are not found in the United States. Vaccinating yourself is the most effective way to protect yourself against diseases a broad. You should get any specific travel vaccine at least one month before your trip to be most effective and give you the most protection against a specific disease. 

Waiting to get vaccinated in your destination country might not be as effective because it will not give the vaccine enough time to work, and the vaccines in other countries may be different than the ones you would receive in the United States.

Mosquito-Borne Diseases Abroad

Wherever you might be traveling, you will likely encounter mosquitos. Aside from being annoying, mosquitos have the potential to carry serious and sometimes lethal diseases. When thinking about mosquito diseases, it is important to know the specific diseases they carry so that we can be properly vaccinated against them and travel as safely as possible. The following is a list of mosquito-borne diseases:

Malaria

Malaria is the most commonly known mosquito disease. There is currently no licensed vaccine for malaria. However, there is anti-malarial medication available to prevent malaria. Its symptoms include:

·        Headache

·        Vomiting and Nausea

·        Fatigue

·        Fever

·        Chills

Yellow Fever

Vaccination is the best way to prevent yellow fever, and it is recommended to get it at least 6 weeks before traveling. Its symptoms include:

·        Muscle Pain

·        Fever

·        Vomiting and Nausea

·        Headache

Dengue

The only way to prevent dengue is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, as there is no cure or vaccine. Its symptoms include:

·        Muscle and Joint Pains

·        Headache

·        Rash

·        Fever

·        Vomiting and Nausea

Chikungunya

As with dengue, there is no cure or vaccine for chikungunya. The only way to prevent this disease is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Its symptoms include:

·        Muscle and Joint Pain

·        Fever

·        Headache

·        Fatigue

·        Rash

·        Nausea

Zika Virus

As with dengue and chikungunya, there is no cure or vaccine for the zika virus. The only way to prevent this disease is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

·        Headaches

·        Fever

·        Rash

·        Muscle and Joint Pains

Japanese encephalitis

Vaccination is the best way to prevent Japanese encephalitis, and it is recommended to get it at least  6 weeks before traveling. Its symptoms include:

·        Headache

·        Fever

·        Fits

·        Coma

·        Tremors

While not every mosquito-borne disease has a vaccine available, we can still take preventative measures to avoid exposure to those diseases. Proper precautions allow us to fully enjoy our experience traveling to a different country. Being prepared can help you prevent serious diseases.

For more information regarding travel vaccines and mosquito-borne diseases, you can contact BASS Urgent Care by calling (925) 267-7800.