Journal of travel medicine
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We report a case of louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF) in a refugee from Somalia who had arrived in Belgium a few days earlier. He complained of myalgia and secondarily presented fever. Blood smears revealed spirochetes later identified as Borrelia recurrentis. LBRF should be considered in countries hosting refugees, particularly those who transit through endemic regions.
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Photography is an integral component of the international travel experience. Self-photography is becoming a mainstream behaviour in society and it has implications for the practice of travel medicine. Travellers who take selfies, including with the use of selfie sticks, may be subject to traumatic injuries associated with this activity. This review article is the first in the medical literature to address this emerging phenomenon. ⋯ The travel medicine practitioner should routinely counsel travellers about responsible self-photography during international travel and should include this advice in printed material given to the patient. The travel and mobile phone industries should reinforce these health promotion messages. Future research should offer greater insights into traveller selfie-taking behaviour.
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Respiratory illness continues to exert a burden on hajj pilgrims in Makkah. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of respiratory illness and its associated factors among Malaysian hajj pilgrims in 2013 and to describe its preventive measures. ⋯ The prevalence of respiratory illness remains high among Malaysian hajj pilgrims despite having some practices of preventive measures. All preventive measures which include hand hygiene, wearing face masks and influenza vaccination must be practiced together as bundle of care to reduce respiratory illness effectively.
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International travel contributes to the spread of multidrug-resistant microorganisms including extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE). We assessed the proportion of faecal carriers of ESBL-PE among 211 patients with gastrointestinal symptoms who returned to Berlin, Germany, after international travel. ⋯ Travellers, particularly those returning from India and Southeast Asia, constitute a relevant source of potential spread of ESBL-PE. Carriage declines over time but ESBL-PE persist for at least 6 months in a substantial proportion of individuals. Both genetic characteristics of the bacteria and lifestyle factors seem to contribute to persistent carriage of ESBL-PE. A recent, extra-European travel history argues for ESBL-PE screening and contact precautions for patients admitted to hospital.