[Medical advice for the traveller]

Abstract

Pretravel advice should minimize a traveller's health risk and enable him or her to handle most minor medical problems, as well as know when to consult a doctor, both during a trip and after he or she has returned home. The first step is an individual risk assessment based on an analysis of the traveller's health condition and a review of the itinerary. Then appropriate vaccines should be selected and information about prevention of travel-associated diseases and accidents, chemoprophylaxis and self-treatment should be provided.