There is no country in the world where you can not go, but for each destination there are rules and features that are important to know. If you are going to warmer climes, we have prepared a cheat sheet especially for you together with the doctors of the Clinic of Tropical Medicine.
Today we are talking about Thailand.
P.S. It would not be superfluous to visit the clinic before your trip - doctors will introduce you to the specifics of a particular region, help you assemble a first-aid kit, instruct you on first aid issues, prescribe the necessary vaccines and, if necessary, will be in touch with you online or by phone.
After the trip, they will help to eliminate asymptomatic tropical infections, so that the vacation will be remembered for exceptionally friendly elephants, exotic fruits and the azure ocean.
1. Malaria
A life-threatening disease that is transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
Symptoms: fever, headache and chills.
Distribution: in the provinces bordering Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia and Laos, as well as in the provinces of Kalasin, Krabi (Plai Phraya district), Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Pattani, Phang Nga (including the city Phang Nga), Rayong, Sakon Nakhon, Songkhla, Surat Thani and Yala. Isolated cases of the disease have been reported in the areas of Phuket, Phang Nga, KHO Koh Samui and KHO Pha Ngan.
Prevention: antimalarial drugs (after consultation with a doctor), the use of repellents.
2. Leptospirosis
An acute infectious disease caused by the bacterium Leptospira, the source of infection is rodents. Infection occurs through contact with rodent-infested soil or water.
Symptoms: fever, severe headache and muscle pain, chills, redness of the eyes, abdominal pain, jaundice, hemorrhages in the skin and mucous membranes, vomiting, diarrhea and rash.
Distribution: in urban slums due to insufficient sewage disposal and water purification.
Prevention: avoid contact with freshwater bodies (canals, swamps, lakes, rivers, waterfalls).
Treatment: antibacterial agents.
3. Helminthiasis
Parasitic diseases caused by helminths (worms). Infection most often occurs when eating foods contaminated with eggs or helminth larvae, as well as through contact with contaminated water, soil, or insect bites.
Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal pain, decreased appetite, general malaise and weakness, possibly fever.
Prevention: wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating, and avoid thermally unprocessed meat, fish, and crustaceans.
Treatment: anthelmintic drugs.
4. Hepatitis A
Acute infectious disease caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV). Transmission of the infection occurs through contaminated food, water, or beverages, as well as from person to person. Affects the liver.
Symptoms: jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), nausea, lethargy or drowsiness.
Prevention: food hygiene and vaccination.
Treatment: there is no specific treatment
5. Rabies
One of the most dangerous infectious diseases of a viral nature, it occurs with severe damage to the nervous system and ends, as a rule, with a fatal outcome. In 99% of human rabies cases, domestic dogs were the source of infection.
Symptoms: fever with pain and unusual or unexplained tingling or burning at the wound site. Further, progressive and fatal damage to the brain and spinal cord develops.
Prevention: administration of two doses of rabies vaccine before the trip.
Treatment: after biting, scratching, and salivation, animals are given an emergency rabies vaccine with or without rabies immunoglobulin.
6. Dengue fever
It is one of the most common infectious diseases in Thailand. It is a viral infection transmitted through the bites of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Hemorrhagic form can have fatal complications.
Symptoms: severe flu-like condition
Distribution: throughout the rainy season (from May to October) in both urban and rural areas, with an increased risk in the northeastern part of the country.
Prevention: the use of repellents.
7. Japanese encephalitis
An acute viral infectious disease transmitted through insect bites. It mainly affects the brain.
Distribution: in the northern region of Thailand (Chiang Mai Valley), with seasonal peaks from May to October.
Prevention: protection from mosquito bites and vaccination (for those who stay in endemic areas for more than one month).
Treatment: there is no effective antiviral treatment.
Questions and answers
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