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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 vaccinations. See your doctor 4 to 6 weeks before your trip. Most vaccines take time to become effective.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Related Issues
- Air Travel Health Tips (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Travelers' Health: Air Quality and Ionizing Radiation (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Travelers' Health: Cruise Ship Travel (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Travelers' Health: Extremes of Temperature (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: Mosquitoes, Ticks, and Other Arthropods (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Travelers' Health: Travel Health Kits (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Travelers' Health: Zoonotic Exposures -- Bites, Stings, Scratches, and Other Hazards (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)
- Flu Prevention: Information for Travelers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Foot Swelling during Air Travel: A Concern? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) 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
- Planning for Parasitic Diseases when Travelling (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Protect against Mosquito Bites when Traveling (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
- Traveler's Diarrhea (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
- Travelers' Health: Destinations (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Visiting Friends or Relatives (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Zika Virus: Recommendations for Travelers and People Living Abroad (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Jet Lag Syndrome
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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
- Travel during Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
- Travelers' Health: Travel and Breastfeeding (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Older Adults
- Travelers' Health: Senior Citizens (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
-
Vaccinations and Older Adults
(National Institute on Aging)
Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Jet lag prevention (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Pregnancy and travel (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish