The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: April twenty-fifth, with a few ounces of prevention worth many pounds of cure.

Foreign travel once entailed a series of painful vaccinations. Now, as long as they travel directly from the U.S., Americans are no longer required to get any shots, either to enter most other countries, or to return home. But if your itinerary includes visits to areas of special risk, mainly in Africa, South America and Southeast Asia, it is important to investigate health precautions before you go.

Yellow fever and malaria are the diseases that most commonly require advance medication. Yellow-fever vaccine is safe, effective and required in certain counties. Get a shot if there's any risk of exposure. You should start taking oral malarial medication a week before you leave home and continue for six weeks after you return. Cholera vaccine, on the other hand, is ineffective and can make you ill. Even if your destination is South America, where this water-borne disease is a serious problem, get a cholera shot only if absolutely necessary.

It is, however, always wise to get a tetanus booster shot if you haven't had one in the last ten years. Also make sure your polio immunizations are up to date. Beware of hepatitis A, which is present worldwide, both in water and un-cooked food. An advance dose of gamma globulin can prevent an attack or lessen its severity. The vaccine for typhoid is safe, effective and wise for travel to rural areas in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The Centers for Disease Control maintain excellent resource files on known health risks for travelers. They can be accessed by phone, fax and online.

FMI To reach the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, call their hotline at 877-394-8747( FYI TRIP) faxline at 888-332-3299 or website at www.cdc.gov/travel.

The Canadian government maintains a similar site at
www.hc-sc.gc.ca.hpb/lcdc/osh/pub_e.hp

The World Health Organization also maintains health risk and avoidance procedures for travelers at www.who.int/ith/english/region.htm

Other links with interesting points of view are:
Fielding's Guides DangerFinder at www.comebackalive.com
www.dailynews.yahoo.com/fc/world

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