Stay Healthy while Travelling Abroad: Infectious Disease Expert’s Advice

Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital Department of Infectious Medicine Professor Jeong Eun-joo “must consult a medical staff one month before departure”

【Reporter Jeon Ah-reum of Baby News】

With the lifting of the COVID-19 distancing measures, the number of overseas travelers has increased significantly this year. According to the Korea Culture and Tourism Research Institute’s tourist information system, the number of outbound travelers from Korea from January to March of this year was 4,979,386. The total number of overseas travelers departed last year was 6,554,031, which exceeded 75% in one quarter. As the number of overseas travelers soars, we need to be careful about various infectious diseases besides Corona 19. Professor Jeong Eun-joo of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital explained the rules for preventing infectious diseases for a fun and safe overseas trip.

◇ Measles, I was vaccinated when I was young, so can I be relieved?

In January of this year, a measles patient occurred in Korea for the first time in three years, and the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently sent a warning saying that measles could spread worldwide. Measles is more likely to be transmitted in Southeast Asian countries, such as Vietnam and the Philippines, where there are many domestic travelers. In fact, 71% of overseas travelers entering Korea this year traveled to the Asian region.

Measles is an acute febrile rash caused by infection with the measles virus. In case of measles, fever, rash, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, etc. may appear. Most of them follow the clinical course of recovery naturally, but in rare cases, severe complications in the respiratory system and central nervous system may be accompanied.

Above all, measles can be transmitted through the air and is highly contagious. The basic infection reproduction number refers to the average number of people that an infectious patient infects during the infectious transmission period, and the measles virus is the highest among known viruses. The basic infection reproduction number of measles is 12 to 18, varicella virus is 5 to 7, and in the case of Corona 19 virus (SARS-CoV-2), depending on mutation, it is currently around 1, indicating that the risk of transmission of measles is very high. can

Professor Jeong Eun-joo said, “Measles is prevalent in many countries that Koreans visit when traveling abroad, so if there is no evidence of immunity to measles, it is recommended that people get vaccinated before leaving the country, but awareness of measles vaccination is low.” “Measles is 97% preventable with two doses of the vaccine, so you should check your immunity to measles before you travel,” he explained.

Adults born after 1967 who do not have immunity to measles and are healthy should receive at least one dose of measles vaccine, and if there is no evidence of measles immunity, if there is no evidence of measles immunity, if there is no evidence of measles immunity, two doses should be given at least 28 days apart recommended to do In general, a person can be considered immune to measles if they have had a natural infection or received two doses of the vaccine, and if the measles-specific antibody IgG is positive.

Measles vaccine vaccination history can be found on the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. However, if you were vaccinated before 2002, there may be no record, so in this case, you can check for antibodies through a blood test.

◇ Vaccination is required at least one month before traveling abroad

In addition to measles, there are various infectious diseases to be aware of depending on the travel destination. Depending on the vaccine, the required number of vaccinations differs and there is a minimum interval that must be observed. Therefore, if you are planning an overseas trip, it is necessary to visit an overseas travel clinic, consult with a specialist, and get vaccinated at least one month before departure. Yellow fever and cholera vaccines can only be administered at internationally recognized vaccination institutions, and yellow fever vaccines must be administered at least 10 days before departure. Typhoid fever or hepatitis A, which can be transmitted through water or food, must be vaccinated two weeks before departure.

At the Overseas Travel Clinic, you can get a prescription for vaccines and preventive medicines that require vaccination after consulting on the destination, length of stay, underlying disease and medical history, and previous vaccinations when traveling abroad.

Professor Jeong Eun-joo said, “When traveling abroad, you must strictly follow the precautions against infectious diseases, and if you experience abnormal symptoms such as high fever, chills, or diarrhea within three weeks after travel, you must first report to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and then go to the hospital.”

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