Journal of travel medicine
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All mass gatherings can place travelers at risk for infectious diseases, but the size and density of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) present important public health and infection control challenges. This survey of protective practices and respiratory illness among US travelers to the 2009 Hajj was designed to evaluate whether recommended behavioral interventions (hand hygiene, wearing a face mask, cough etiquette, social distancing, and contact avoidance) were effective at mitigating illness among travelers during the 2009 Hajj. ⋯ Recommended protective behaviors were associated with less respiratory illness among US travelers to the 2009 Hajj. Influenza A(H1N1) communication and education in KSA during the Hajj may also have been an effective component of efforts to mitigate illness. Evaluations of communication efforts and preventive measures are important in developing evidence-based public health plans to prevent and mitigate disease outbreaks at the Hajj and other mass gatherings.
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We present a case of Loa loa infection in a patient, 21 years after visiting an endemic area for only 4 days. To our knowledge, this case represents the longest time for the diagnosis of loiasis to be made post-exposure in a traveler and emphasizes that even short exposures can place travelers at risk.
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Taenia solium is the most common helminthic infection of the central nervous system and a leading cause of epilepsy in developing nations. Little is known about neurocysticercosis in refugees from Southeast Asia which is endemic for T solium. We present two cases in a single household of refugees from Burma.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Quarantine Activity Reporting System (QARS), which documents reports of morbidity and mortality among travelers, was analyzed to describe the epidemiology of deaths during international travel. ⋯ Cardiovascular conditions were the major cause of death for both sexes. Travelers should seek pre-travel medical consultation, including guidance on preventing cardiovascular events, infections, and injuries. Persons with chronic medical conditions and the elderly should promptly seek medical care if they become ill during travel.