Study Abroad: Looking Out for Some High-Profile (and Not So Fun) Diseases

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In many cases, the dangers to your health are the same as they are in the U.S. Other illnesses and afflictions are location-specific. Either way, it can't hurt to know about some of the major diseases that you may encounter at home or abroad. In addition to the illnesses I mention in the following sections, you may need to watch out for cholera, dengue fever, diphtheria, rabies, typhoid fever, yellow fever, and various worms and parasites. Just because you're away from home doesn't mean you're any more susceptible, but the distance from your regular doctor and your family may make an extended illness harder to deal with. Education is probably your best defense.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and the U.S. State Department's Overseas Citizens Emergency Center can give you detailed health information about particular regions where you plan to visit or study. An excellent resource for detailed health information entitled "Health Information for International Travel" is available from the CDC.

• Centers for Disease Control
  www.cdc.gov
  1-800-311-3435
• Overseas Citizens Emergency Center
  (202) 647-5225
• World Health Organization
  www.who.int
• American College Health Association
  www.acha.org
  (410) 859-1500
• You can get a list of English-speaking doctors worldwide by contacting the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers
  www.iamat.org
  (716) 754-4883

Altitude illness

If your traveling itinerary requires mountain climbing or hiking to high-altitude destinations (above 6,000 feet), you should be aware of the risk of altitude illness. Susceptibility to altitude illness varies from traveler to traveler, and you can't really take a screening test to predict whether you'll get sick. If you've gotten altitude illness before, chances are you are susceptible to it and will get it again. You cannot affect whether you'll get altitude illness by training or increasing your physical fitness.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, particularly involving your heart or lungs, consult your doctor before undertaking travel to high-altitude destinations.

Watch out for the following types of altitude illness:

• Acute mountain sickness (AMS), the most common form of altitude illness, can occur at altitudes as low as 4,000 feet, but most often happens in abrupt ascents to over 9,000 feet. AMS usually begins at least 6 to 12 hours after arrival at a higher altitude. Symptoms include headache, extreme fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting.
• High-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) is a severe progression of AMS. In addition to the AMS symptoms, you can feel confused and be unable to walk a straight line.
• High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) can occur by itself or in conjunction with HACE. You can experience increased breathlessness with exertion that fails to go away after several minutes of rest.

Altitude illness is easy to avoid. Simply learn the symptoms of altitude illness, and if you find you're suffering from them, do not ascend any further until symptoms disappear. Descend if the symptoms become worse. Planning a gradual ascent also helps you avoid altitude illness.

Never sleep at higher altitudes when you feel any of the symptoms of altitude illness.

You can get medications that prevent and treat altitude illness. When taken prior to ascent, medications speed recovery and aid in acclimatization if symptoms develop. You can also carry certain drugs in case of emergency. You should consult a doctor for more information.

Malaria

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite carried by infected mosquitoes. It occurs in over 100 countries and territories, including large areas of Central and South America, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania.