Travel/Tropical Medicine and Pandemic Considerations for the Global Surgeon
- PMID: 32473858
- PMCID: PMC7205681
- DOI: 10.1016/j.coms.2020.05.001
Travel/Tropical Medicine and Pandemic Considerations for the Global Surgeon
Abstract
International travel goes hand in hand with medical delivery to underserved communities. The global health care worker can be exposed to a wide range of infectious diseases during their global experiences. A pretravel risk assessment visit and all appropriate vaccinations and education must be performed. Universal practices of water safety, food safety, and insect avoidance will prevent most travel-related infections and complications. Region-specific vaccinations will further reduce illness risk. An understanding of common travel-related illness signs and symptoms is helpful. Emerging pathogens that can cause a pandemic should be understood to avoid health care worker infection and spread.
Keywords: Encephalitis; Food-borne illness; Pandemic; Preparation for global surgery; Public health; Tick-borne illness; Travel medicine; Tropical medicine.
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Conflict of interest statement
Disclosure The authors have nothing to disclose.
Figures
References
-
- Freedman D.O., Chen L.H., Kozarsky P.E. Medical considerations before international travel. N Engl J Med. 2016;375(3):247–260. - PubMed
-
- Freedman D.O., Chen L.H., Kozarsky P.E. Spectrum of disease and relation to place of exposure among ill returned travelers. N Engl J Med. 2006;354(2):119–130. - PubMed
-
- Hill D.R. The burden of illness in international travelers. N Engl J Med. 2006;354(2):115–117. - PubMed
-
- Spira A.M. Assessment of travellers who return home ill. Lancet. 2003;361(9367):1459–1469. - PubMed
-
- Spira A.M. Preparing the traveller. Lancet. 2003;361(9366):1368–1381. - PubMed
