Traveler's Health

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics

See, Play and Learn

• No links available

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Women
• Older Adults
• Patient Handouts

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 vaccinations. 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
• Summer Travel: Plan Ahead To Stay Healthy (National Institutes of Health)
• Travelers' Health: Animal Bites and Stings (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Health: Cruise Ship Travel (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Health: Environmental Hazards and Other Noninfectious Health Risks (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Health: Immunocompromised Travelers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Health: Injury and Trauma (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Health: International Adoption (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Health: Protection against Mosquitoes, Ticks, and Other Arthropods (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Your Health Abroad (Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs)

Specifics

• 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
• 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
• Motion Sickness: First Aid (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Protect against Mosquito Bites when Traveling (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Rabies: What If I Receive Treatment Outside the United States? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travel During COVID-19 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
• 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)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Jet Lag Syndrome (National Institutes of Health)

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

• Article: Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Academic Conferences: The Example of the...
• Article: A Multisite Network Assessment of the Epidemiology and Etiology of Acquired...
• Article: Surveying Health-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of U.S.-Based Residents Traveling Internationally...
• 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

• Shots for Safety (National Institute on Aging)
• Travelers' Health: Senior Citizens (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Patient Handouts

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