Travel medicine and infectious disease
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Travel Med Infect Dis · Jan 2011
Disaster relief in post-earthquake Haiti: unintended consequences of humanitarian volunteerism.
This article provides an overview of US humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti following the earthquake on January 12, 2010. Humanitarian aid arrived rapidly from many sources and was largely provided by organized and skilled humanitarian volunteers. There are however multiple impacts on the existing health care systems, as well as the pharmaceutical and medical supply chain created by massive relief efforts involving personnel, medicines, supplies and equipment that should be considered even in the immediate post-disaster period. Additionally the consequences of short-term medical missions by secular and non-secular NGOs should be considered carefully both in the post-disaster period and as ongoing support to underserved populations.
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Travel Med Infect Dis · Nov 2010
Epidemiology of bacteraemia in Hamad general hospital, Qatar: a one year hospital-based study.
We conducted a one-year observational study from July 2007 to June 2008 to describe the epidemiology of bacteraemia at Hamad general hospital. During this period, a total of 452 episodes of bacteraemia occurred, which corresponds to a rate of 19/1000 hospital admissions. Most patients 58.8% (266/452) had community acquired bacteraemia, and primary bacteraemia accounted for 62.2% (281/452) of the cases. ⋯ The percentages of oxacillin resistant coagulase negative Staphylococci isolates and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates were 81.8% (27/33) and 13.2% (7/53) respectively. In hospital mortality was 22.5% (102/452), and inadequate treatment and septic shock were found to be independent predictors of mortality. Therefore, bloodstream infection surveillance is crucial to produce meaningful guidelines for prevention (e.g., catheter-related) and empirical treatment of bacteraemia in Qatar.
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Travel Med Infect Dis · Sep 2010
ReviewQuality of malaria information provided on Internet travel operator websites.
Over the past 20 years, there has been a steady growth in the number of reported cases of malaria in the UK. With increasing Internet flight sales over recent years, online travel operator websites may be the only place many travellers could conceivably receive pre-travel malaria prevention advice. ⋯ Malaria prevention information on online travel operator websites is most often absent or inadequate. Even on websites where such information is of good quality, it can be difficult to access. The travel industry should introduce and enforce guidelines for the malaria information provided by online travel operators.
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Travel Med Infect Dis · Jul 2010
Review Case ReportsSwimming with death: Naegleria fowleri infections in recreational waters.
Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba commonly found in warm freshwater environments such as hot springs, lakes, natural mineral water, and resort spas frequented by tourists. N. fowleri is the etiologic agent of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), an acute fatal disease of the central nervous system that results in death in approximately seven days. ⋯ Thus, the key to diagnosis is physician awareness and clinical suspicion. With the intent of creating awareness among travel medicine practitioners and the tourism industry, this review focuses on the presenting features of N. fowleri and PAM and offers insight into the prevention and treatment of the disease.