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May 14, 2003

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Travelers Ignore Health Risks"

Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com) (05/14/03) P. D3; Warren, Audrey

A new survey of over 8,000 travelers heading to areas at high risk for infectious diseases indicates that the travelers are not prepared for health risks, with 64 percent saying they had not looked for health advice.  International Society of Travel Medicine member Dr. Davidson Hamer says that people intending to go to high-risk areas should go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site (http://www.cdc.gov/travel), a primary-care physician, or a doctor specializing in travel medicine. Travelers often lack hepatitis A shots or anti-malaria pills, for instance.  According to the study, 71 percent of travelers to high-risk areas from the United States were not vaccinated against hepatitis A, while 40 percent of those surveyed in the United States did not have anti-malaria medication. 

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