Tourist’s health issues are set to benefit from developments in the treatment of two of the biggest travel threats, yellow fever and malaria.
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease that is spread by mosquitoes and can be fatal. Its prevalence in certain parts of the world, including parts of Africa, South America, Trinidad and Tobago, has meant that until now travellers have required an initial inoculation against the disease, followed by booster injections every ten years. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that new research has indicated that a single dose of vaccination gives the recipient life-long immunity to the disease, according to a report in the Daily Mail.
Dr Helen Rees, chairman of WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunisation (Sage) was quoted in the newspaper, saying, ‘The conventional guidance has been that the yellow fever vaccination has had to be boosted after ten years. Looking at really very good evidence, it was quite clear to Sage that in fact a single dose of yellow fever vaccine is effective. This is extremely important for countries where yellow fever is endemic, because it will allow them to reconsider their vaccine scheduling. It is also important for travellers.’
The newspaper has also reported an advance in the treatment of malaria, another disease that is spread by mosquitoes and kills around 655,000 people per year that live in or visit certain tropical areas. Key to a malaria victim surviving the disease and making a full recovery is the speed with which it is diagnosed. Now, a new, simple blood test has been developed that can diagnose the disease within an hour and enable treatment to begin promptly.
According to reports the test is faster than present methods, does not require specialised laboratory equipment and can be carried out by non-specialist health workers. It was also proven to be accurate in its diagnosis during tests carried out by researchers from the Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The latter currently treats 1,500 cases of imported malaria every year.
