Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis started during or after travel: A GeoSentinel analysis.

Background: Recent studies demonstrate that rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (RPEP) in international travelers is suboptimal, with only 5-20% of travelers receiving rabies immune globulin (RIG) in the country of exposure when indicated. We hypothesized that travelers may not be receiving RIG appropriately, and practices may vary between countries. We aim to describe the characteristics of travelers who received RIG and/or RPEP during travel.

Rabies postexposure consultations in New Zealand from 1998 to 2012.

Background: Rabies is an invariably fatal zoonotic viral disease. New Zealanders going abroad are largely unaware of the risk of contracting the disease. Prevention is the key to controlling the spread of this disease.

Illness and injury to students on a school excursion to Peru.

Background: School-organized travels abroad provide an opportunity for students to undertake supervised travel that reinforces scholastic study of various geographical locations under the direction and protection of experienced tour leaders and health professional support. Little is known concerning the nature of illnesses and injuries occurring on overseas school excursions. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of injury and illness suffered by older teenagers on a school excursion to South America.

Illness and injury to travellers on a premium seniors' tour to Indochina.

Background: Commercial expeditions and upmarket tours provide an opportunity for travellers to undertake various specialised travel to more adventurous and extreme destinations often in the relative security of accompanying medical cover provided by an expedition physician. There is limited knowledge of the nature of illnesses and injuries occurring on premium seniors' tours to Asia. This present study was designed to investigate the prevalence of injury and illness suffered by travellers on a premium tour to Indochina.

Rabies postexposure management of travelers presenting to travel health clinics in Auckland and Hamilton, New Zealand.

Background: Rabies is a fatal disease, and travelers going to endemic areas need to take precautions. Little is known about the rabies postexposure management of travelers from New Zealand.

Methods: A total of 459 post-travel records from October 1998 until February 2006 at two travel medicine clinics, in Auckland and Hamilton, were examined for those who reported postexposure management to animals while abroad.

Illness and injury to travellers on a premium expedition along the Asian Silk Route.

Background: Commercial expeditions provide an opportunity for travellers to undertake various specialised travel to more adventurous and extreme destinations in the relative security of an expeditionary group with medical cover provided by an expedition physician. Little is known about the illnesses and injuries occurring on premium expeditions to Asia. This present study was designed to investigate the prevalence of injury and illness suffered by travellers on a premium expedition along the Asian Silk Route.

Illness and injury to travellers on a premium expedition to Iceland.

Background: Commercial expeditions provide an opportunity for travellers to undertake various specialised travel to more adventurous and extreme destinations in the relative security of an expeditionary group with medical cover provided by an expedition physician. Little is known about the illnesses and injuries occurring on premium expeditions. The present study was designed to investigate the prevalence of health problems suffered by travellers on a premium expedition to Iceland and the Arctic Circle.

Case report: bilateral calf (tibial) deep venous thrombosis following air travel.

Objectives: To describe an interesting case of bilateral calf (tibial) deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in a traveller.

Methods: Clinical case notes and reports of further investigations were analysed in the light of the existing literature concerning DVT and travellers.

Results: A 56-year-old university lecturer presented within 48 h of a return to New Zealand from international travel abroad.

A case of exposure to Bancroftian filariasis in a traveller to Thailand.

A New Zealander travelling recreationally to Asia became exposed to Bancroftian filariasis. The traveller had presented incidentally with gastrointestinal illness. In addition to diarrhoea, the traveller's symptoms were non-specific and there was no eosinophilia, lymphoedema, lymphangitis, lymphadenitis, or pain.

Intradermal pre-exposure rabies immunisation in New Zealand.

Background: Rabies is a fatal infection and immunisation is important to consider in those travellers going to rabies endemic areas. In those at high risk, a course of three immunisations may be given by the intramuscular (IM) or intradermal (ID) route, both of which are approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Little is known in the New Zealand context regarding the effectiveness of pre-exposure ID rabies immunisation.

Illness in returned travellers presenting at GeoSentinel sites in New Zealand.

Objective: To describe illnesses of returned travellers presenting at GeoSentinel sites in New Zealand.

Methods: Record data for all patients presenting for travel-related illnesses seen at two GeoSentinel sites, operating as commercial travel clinics, in Auckland and Hamilton, NZ, were extracted for the period November 1997 to December 2001.

Results: 205 patients were identified with 262 diagnoses.

Life and death on the Amazon: illness and injury to travelers on a South American expedition.

Background: Commercial expeditions provide an opportunity for travelers to undertake various specialized travel to more adventurous destinations in the relative security of an expeditionary group. Little is known about the illnesses and injuries occurring on such expeditions.

Methods: From the commencement of the Blake Expedition in 2001, the expedition physician recorded all illnesses and injuries reported among the crew and also among the indigenous people encountered, while undertaking the expedition.