International Travel and Health Issues

Travel is the traveling of individuals between different, sometimes distant, geographical locations. Travel can be to any location on earth, and is one way to get from one point to another or from one town to another. Travel is a mode of transport used by humans from earliest times to the present day. Although for many it is a source of stress and anxiety, travel enables people to experience new lands and cultures, visit exciting landmarks, gather foreign currency, acquire knowledge, make new friends, experience pain or discomfort, and experience a variety of unique emotions.

In some parts of the world, travel advisory pamphlets are available to visitors as a precautionary measure to protect them against diseases spread by insects, animals, humans, and similar pathogens that can spread rapidly and dangerously in enclosed spaces. These pamphlets notify travelers of dangers and risks they may encounter while traveling, such as the possibility of falling sick with an ailment while traveling, or contracting a communicable disease while on travel. In addition, there are other more mundane dangers and hazards that travelers may encounter. For example, there are reports of animal attacks on travelers and pets. There have also been incidences of rape and sexual assault by tourists traveling to foreign countries. There have also been reports of people contracting contagious diseases while on travel.

For international travelers, they must comply with various vaccinations to avoid the spread of diseases not known to man. These vaccines help prevent a variety of diseases like measles, typhoid, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, yellow fever, hepatitis, mumps, shingles, rabies, ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, and viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and poliomyelitis. There are stringent requirements for entry into the United States, Canada, and some European countries. In some cases, a travelers visa is required, or else there are several heavy restrictions on travel. A travelers’ visa is required for those traveling to Mexico and South America, but there are no restrictions on traveling to Central America.