HEALTH RISKS TO VISITORS TO AREAS OF SOUTH ASIA AFFECTED BY THE TSUNAMI

Visitors planning trips to areas of Southern Asia which have been affected by the recent (26 Dec 04) Tsunami should be advised to check the latest safety information from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The telephone number for Foreign Office travel advice is:  0870 6060290 and information can also be obtained from www.fco.gov.uk/travel.

Food and Water-borne Disease Risks

The damage to the infrastructure in countries affected has led to an increase in stagnant water, disruption of sewer lines, poor quality sanitation and overcrowding which are conducive for the development of disease.  Intestinal illness due to Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, and cholera are all likely to increase in these areas.  Other conditions such as Hepatitis A and E and water borne diseases such as leptospirosis may also increase. 

Mosquito borne infections

The increase is stagnant water may result in an upturn in cases of malaria, dengue and Japanese encephalitis.  The geographical distribution of these diseases may change and up to date information can be obtained on the websites below.

Useful information on current disease risks in specific countries can be obtained from the following websites:

Travellers to the affected areas fall into two main groups: those who are going for a holiday; and those who are going to provide aid.  All travellers to affected areas should consider vaccination against:

For travellers who are likely to become involved in medical or rescue work in affected areas, they should also receive protection against Hepatitis B and possibly cholera.  Cholera vaccine is not usually recommended as it has a relatively low efficacy but it is worth considering in a situation where a cholera outbreak maybe imminent and for those individuals directly engaged in relief operations.  Oral cholera vaccine is available from Chiron and for aid workers, the GP can prescribe this on an FP 10 if they wish, rather than issuing a private prescription. There is no clear national policy on prescribing cholera vaccine and GPs can use their own discretion. The Chiron contact number for clinical enquiries is 0845 7451500.Protection against rabies and Japanese encephalitis should also be considered on a country by country basis.

All travellers should practice mosquito avoidance measures, irrespective of where they are staying.

Useful information for aid workers is available on: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/tsunamis

Aid workers should equip themselves with a health pack containing:

The NaTHNaC website suggests ciprofloxacin 500mg bd for three days, for use in the event of a serious gastrointestinal infection.