The New York Center for Travel and Tropical Medicine specializes in a variety of travel clinic services. If you need travel vaccinations, be sure to visit our Manhattan travel medicine office. Whether you are traveling to Guatemala, Kenya, Tanzania, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, or anywhere else on the planet, you can be sure that our travel doctor, Dr. Connor, and his professional, kind, and courteous team at our International Travel Health Clinic can prepare you for your trip. Our travel clinic uses the latest techniques and advancements in travel medicine to ensure that your trip is as healthy as possible. During the consultation with our travel doctor and travel medicine team, we will determine which travel vaccinations are recommended for your specific travel needs.

Travel Clinic Services Q & A

 

Pre-Travel Consultation:

What is a Pre-Travel Consultation?

A pre-travel consultation is an office visit designed to provide you with the information you need to understand any potential health risks associated with your travel plans, including diseases that are present and prevalent in your destination location. The Travel Health Center is part of the New York Center for Travel and Tropical Medicine, offering in-depth information about potential disease risks from food and water sources as well as insect-borne diseases and diseases that may be passed by other infected people or animals. During your consultation, you’ll receive information about available vaccines and when and how often they should be administered for optimal effectiveness. You’ll also receive details about how to avoid disease risks to decrease your risk of contracting serious illnesses, including malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever and typhoid fever.

I’m planning to relocate overseas; Should I Schedule a Pre-Travel Consultation, or Is the Consultation Just for Itinerant Travelers?

No, Travel Health Services offers consultation services for people who are relocating to other areas of the world, as well as for those planning extended vacations or stays associated with work, pleasure, research or for other reasons. In addition, Travel Health Services offers special consultation for international adoption and for people who have special needs as well as pre-existing medical conditions.

How Soon Should I Schedule a Pre-Travel Consultation?

Ideally, you should schedule your consultation appointment as soon as you have confirmed your travel dates. Scheduling in advance ensures you’ll have ample time to receive the vaccinations you need to avoid serious infections and diseases. Additionally, you’ll receive other information that can help ensure you understand the disease and health risks you’ll be facing, as well as how and where to get treatment in your destination if you contract a disease.

 

Travel Essentials:

What Should I Pack?

Prepare a travel health kit with items you may need, especially those items that may be difficult to find at your destination. Include your prescriptions and over the counter medicines in your travel health kit and take enough to last your entire trip, plus extra in case of travel delays. Pack medications in a carry on in case your luggage is lost or delayed. Preparing a travel medicine kit can save you a lot of time and trouble on the road.

If you are traveling to more remote or less traveled destinations, having access to prescription and non-prescription medications can not only prevent disruption to your long-planned vacation or business trip but could also be potentially lifesaving.  Having the appropriate antibiotic for a urinary tract infection for example can prevent you from developing a more serious kidney infection such as pyelonephritis.

And being able to promptly treat common travel ailments such as travelers’ diarrhea, altitude illness, motion sickness can allow you to enjoy your travels without interruption.  Having a basic travel medicine kit even for travel to destinations not known for exotic infections can be helpful. Rather than trying to locate an all-night pharmacy you have your commonly used medications with you in your hotel room and can treat your headache or back pain and get back to sleep ready to take on the adventures that await you the next day.

 

Dengue Fever Awareness:

What is Dengue Fever? 

Dengue fever is a viral infection acquired through the bite of day-time mosquitos.

Risk is increased for travelers going to populated urban areas of tropical and subtropical affected countries.
Symptoms include high fever, rash, severe headache, muscle/joint and back pain.
Dengue is usually self-limiting with illness lasting 3 to 5 days.
Chronic fatigue is common, lasting weeks to months. A small percentage can get very sick with symptoms related to bleeding, shock and/or death.

Is There a Vaccine Available Against Dengue Fever? 

Currently there is not a commercially available vaccine available in the US.
There are two vaccines, Dengvaxia and Qdenga available outside of the US, but are only approved for those at risk living in endemic areas.

How Can I Prevent Dengue Fever?

Observe day-time personal protective measures against mosquito bites (insect repellant with 34% DEET and Permethrin sprayed on clothing). Wear long sleeves and long pants.
Peak times for biting activity are 2-3 hours after dawn and mid to late afternoon, during overcast days – mosquitos may be present all day.
Remain in well-screen or air-conditioned buildings during the day.
Schedule evening events for after sundown.
Be aware that the mosquitos that transmit dengue may be found indoors and in close contact with humans.
Mosquitos are commonly found in poorly screened areas, places nearby stagnant water such as flowerpots, discarded tires, or blocked rain gutters which may host mosquito larvae.