Places like Western Europe are considered fairly safe, but it's always best to check with a specialist regardless of where you're heading, Sokol says. A lot of times, places the general population considers harmless harbor unforeseen pitfalls. They think Mexico, 'gosh it's nothing,' but hepatitis A is a big problem. The viral liver infection is caused by contaminated food and water, an issue in many countries with poor sanitary conditions. For traveler's diarrhea, which by some estimates affects up to 40 percent of travelers worldwide, there is no sure-fire preventative treatment, experts say.
Language barriers can also pose problems for travelers who fall ill overseas.
If someone takes a lot of medications and they have medical problems that could potentially act up over there, it's a good idea to write down all the medication names, brand names and generic names on the immunization record. The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers now publishes a directory of English-speaking physicians thatlists doctors in more than 500 cities in 125 countries. Sometimes, regardless of all the preparation in the world, travelers still get sick and have to come home. I honestly didn't expect more than diarrhea every once in a while. Howe was in a small village right on the edge of the jungle, with stale and contaminated water sources and questionable foods.