Traveler's Health

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here

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• Related Issues
• Specifics

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Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

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• Women
• Older Adults
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Summary

Traveling can increase your chances of getting sick. A long flight can increase your risk for deep vein thrombosis. Once you arrive, it takes time to adjust to the water, food, and air in another place. Water in developing countries can contain viruses, bacteria, and parasites that cause stomach upset and diarrhea. Be safe by using only bottled or purified water for drinking, making ice cubes, and brushing your teeth. If you use tap water, boil it or use iodine tablets. Food poisoning can also be a risk. Eat only food that is fully cooked and served hot. Avoid unwashed or unpeeled raw fruits and vegetables.

If you are traveling out of the country, you might also need vaccinations or medicines to prevent specific illnesses. Which ones you need will depend on what part of the world you're visiting, the time of year, your age, overall health status, and previous immunizations. See your doctor 4 to 6 weeks before your trip. Most vaccines take time to become effective.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Start Here

• International Travel: Tips for Staying Healthy (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Staying Healthy While You Travel (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Travelers' Health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Related Issues

• Air Travel Health Tips (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Food Safety While Hiking, Camping and Boating (Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service) Also in Spanish
• How to Prevent Medical Emergencies (American College of Emergency Physicians)
• Staying Healthy on a Cruise (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Summer Travel: Plan Ahead To Stay Healthy (National Institutes of Health)
• Travelers' Health: Animal-Associated Hazards (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Health: Cruise Ship Travel (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Health: Immunocompromised Travelers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Health: Injuries and Safety (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Health: Natural Disasters and Environmental Hazards (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Health: Protection against Mosquitoes, Ticks, and Other Arthropods (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Traveling Safely with Medicines (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists)
• Your Health Abroad (Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs)

Specifics

• CDC's Response to Zika: Enjoy Your Vacation (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Ears and Altitude (Barotrauma) (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)
• Foot Swelling during Air Travel: A Concern? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• High-Altitude Illness (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Influenza Prevention: Information for Travelers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
• Jet Lag Disorder (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Mosquito Bite Prevention For Travelers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Motion Sickness: First Aid (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Plan for Travel: Before, During and After (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
• Rabies: What If I Receive Treatment Outside the United States? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Diarrhea (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Zika Travel Information (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Air Travel (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: How should I respond to an in-flight emergency?
• Article: Blood sugar control among type 2 diabetic patients who travel abroad:...
• Article: Rifamycin (Aemcolo) for treatment of travelers' diarrhea.
• Traveler's Health -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Also in Spanish
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Travelers' Health: Destinations (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Children

• Flying and Your Child's Ears (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Travelers' Health: Traveling Safely with Infants and Children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Health: Vaccine Recommendations for Infants and Children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Women

• Travelers' Health: Pregnant Travelers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Older Adults

• Exercise Tips for Travelers (National Institute on Aging)
• Safe and Healthy Travel for Senior Citizens (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Shots for Safety (National Institute on Aging)

Patient Handouts

• Jet lag prevention (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Pregnancy and travel (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish