Title – Killer parasites’ genes decoded
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 16th July 2009
I put these articles into the blog sometimes, not because such an in-depth knowledge of diseases is important for independent travellers, but because highlighting these diseases and making people aware of them provides a degree of protection.
Those diseases which attract the most attention are those which have vaccinations or for which prophylactic drugs are available. This is because the drug companies spend a vast amount of money promoting their drugs by providing information about the diseases themselves.
This means that diseases like Dengue Fever or in this case Bilharzia (Schistosomiasis) get largely left behind and tend only to be highlighted by government departments and then only when travellers actually seek out information.
If anything these are the ones we need to take more care with, because there is no vaccination or prophylactic drugs to provide ‘easy’ protection, so it is knowledge and our behaviour which offers the only protection.
Bilharzia is an incredibly debilitating and potentially fatal disease and is frighteningly common with over 200 million cases reported every year. London’s Hospital for Tropical Diseases sees an average of 200 cases a year in returning travellers.
Local advise is especially important in understanding bodies of water which are not safe to wade or swim in. For example reports suggest that 50% of swimmers in Lake Malawi test positive for Bilharzia; those are odds simply not worth contemplating, no matter how hot it is.
At
Beyond The Blue (Safe Gap Year) our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness Workshop (GYITSA) considers issues of Travel Health alongside sessions on Travel Safety, Ethical and Responsible Travel, Travel Equipment, Travel Insurance, Destination Advice, Transport Options, Documentation, Travel Money and Insurance and more.Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 16th July 2009
I put these articles into the blog sometimes, not because such an in-depth knowledge of diseases is important for independent travellers, but because highlighting these diseases and making people aware of them provides a degree of protection.
Those diseases which attract the most attention are those which have vaccinations or for which prophylactic drugs are available. This is because the drug companies spend a vast amount of money promoting their drugs by providing information about the diseases themselves.
This means that diseases like Dengue Fever or in this case Bilharzia (Schistosomiasis) get largely left behind and tend only to be highlighted by government departments and then only when travellers actually seek out information.
If anything these are the ones we need to take more care with, because there is no vaccination or prophylactic drugs to provide ‘easy’ protection, so it is knowledge and our behaviour which offers the only protection.
Bilharzia is an incredibly debilitating and potentially fatal disease and is frighteningly common with over 200 million cases reported every year. London’s Hospital for Tropical Diseases sees an average of 200 cases a year in returning travellers.
Local advise is especially important in understanding bodies of water which are not safe to wade or swim in. For example reports suggest that 50% of swimmers in Lake Malawi test positive for Bilharzia; those are odds simply not worth contemplating, no matter how hot it is.
At
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