Journal of travel medicine
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Using skin-lightening compounds for a cosmetic purpose that are normally restricted to medical use or forbidden has become a world-wide practice. Complications are numerous. Immigrant communities often import their practice from their original country. ⋯ The high frequency of this practice, added to the frequency of various complications, suggests it might be considered as a genuine public health problem currently.
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Rabies has become a forgotten and neglected disease in Japan. In 2006, there was a slight increase in social awareness of rabies when Japan had two reported cases of human rabies, originating in the Philippines. Although the number of Japanese either traveling or living in other Asian countries has been increasing, the exact risk of this population contracting rabies is unknown. Thus, this study utilized a questionnaire to investigate the incidence of rabies exposure, as well as the knowledge, attitude, and practice toward rabies prevention among Japanese expatriates and travelers in Thailand. ⋯ Since rabies is a preventable disease as long as one has the appropriate knowledge, attitude, and practice, it is essential to promote prevention activities for the Japanese population in Thailand to avert serious consequences of this disease.
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Limited data exist on infectious diseases imported to various locations in Europe, particularly after travel within the continent. ⋯ There is a burden of infectious diseases in travelers attending European health centers that is potentially preventable through comprehensive pre-travel advice, chemoprophylaxis, and vaccination. Targeted interventions for high-risk groups such as travelers VFRs and migration-associated travelers are of particular importance.
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There can be considerable overlap in the clinical presentation and laboratory features of dengue, malaria, and enteric fever, three important causes of fever in returned travelers. Routine laboratory tests including full blood examination (FBE), liver function tests (LFTs), and C-reactive protein (CRP) are frequently ordered on febrile patients, and may help differentiate between these possible diagnoses. ⋯ There is a wide differential diagnosis for imported fever, but the non-specific findings of a normal CRP with a low WCC and/or low platelet count may provide useful information in addition to clinical clues to suggest dengue over malaria or enteric fever. Further systematic prospective studies among travelers could help define the potential clinical utility of these results in assisting the clinician when deciding for or against commencement of empiric antimicrobial therapy while awaiting confirmatory tests.
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Case Reports
Chronic pulmonary penicilliosis due to Penicillium marneffei: late presentation in a french traveler.
We report a case of pulmonary penicilliosis due to Penicillium marneffei in an immunocompetent French patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, who had traveled in endemic countries several years before. The long interval between exposure and initial symptoms of infection, and relapse despite prolonged voriconazole treatment are unusual features.