Community Update

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It is exciting to
travel to other countries and experience new cultures. But as with all
great adventures, a little preparation before boarding that ship, train or
plane can make a huge difference.  No one
wants a vacation or business trip ruined by getting sick and, according to the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 50 percent of international
travelers to developing countries become ill during their trip, and
approximately eight percent seek medical care for travel-associated illness
either during or after travel.

The risk of becoming ill when travelling depends on the
areas to be visited, length of stay, pre-existing medical conditions, and
vaccination history.

To mitigate potential problems involved in some
international travel, the CDC recommends travelers see doctors who specialize
in travel medicine at least four to six weeks prior to departure, and as soon
as possible if leaving on short notice.

Taking precautions against infections and illness before a trip
is a good investment. Many parts of the world face epidemics and outbreaks of
malaria, yellow fever, food borne hepatitis, and other health risks.
Additionally, some countries require proof of vaccination against diseases like
yellow fever and meningitis before they allow travelers to enter.

To help Sacramento
area business and leisure travelers be prepared with the correct vaccinations
and current CDC precautions, protocols and outbreak notifications, Pulmonary Medicine Associates (PMA) is
adding “travel medicine” to the patient care services at its Roseville office, 5
Medical Plaza, Suite 190 and Sacramento office, 1485 River Park Drive, Suite
200.  Travelers may schedule appointments
now at the travel clinic.

Noted Vinod Trivedi, M.D. PMA Travel Medicine clinic leader,
“Given the rapidly changing nature of infectious disease and protective
recommendations when traveling abroad, seeing a travel medicine specialist is
highly recommended. Helping you travel well and enjoy your trip is our goal at
the Pulmonary Medicine Associates Travel Clinic.”

During the past
decade major airlines have seen more than a 100 percent increase in
international travel.  An industry
forecast from the International Air Transport Association expects the number of
domestic passengers in the U.S. to grow 2.6% a year from 2012 to 2016, compared
with a 4.3% annual increase in international fliers during that period.

In addition, the number of U.S. residents traveling overseas
for business as part of the global economy is on the rise.  Because of the nature of the trip, business
travelers may face different health risks than do leisure travelers.

Giving the travel medicine provider a complete list of geographic
regions and activities planned for the trip is critical to receiving the
vaccines and health precautions necessary for enhanced health and safety.

Among the typical services travelers can expect to receive
at a travel medicine clinic are an assessment of health history and needs based
on itinerary, recommended and mandatory immunizations based on Centers for
Disease Control and World Health Organization guidelines and outbreak
notifications; recommendations and/or prescriptions for preventive medications,
including antimalarial and antidiarrheal medications; up-to-date information on
health concerns and disease outbreaks; the latest information on current health
risks for countries on the itinerary and how to avoid them; review of food,
water and insect precautions; and advice on items to bring.

The physicians and nurse practitioners at the PMA Travel
Clinic have extensive training in infectious diseases and travel medicine. PMA providers
are members of the International Society of Travel Medicine and the American
Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

For more information about staying healthy during
international travel, contact PMA Travel Clinic at 916-679-3588. For more
information visit www.pmamed.com.