Rabies is a fatal viral disease for humans. Currently, there is no cure for the disease, especially once symptoms begin to show. But there is a preventative vaccination that a person can receive.

What is rabies?

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the nerves and brain of a human.

The disease is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected animal. Although the disease is rare in the U.S., this doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get.

If someone is bit by an infected animal, the disease works by spreading throughout the body to the brain. Once the virus reaches the brain and a person begins to exhibit symptoms, it’s too late to treat the infection.

Is there a treatment for rabies?

While there is no cure for rabies, the virus can be treated if caught early enough. The only issue with this is that most people don’t know that they have rabies until it’s too late. There’s no way for a person to know if they have rabies until symptoms begin to show. But, once symptoms show, the disease is fatal.

If a person receives the rabies vaccine before they are infected or before symptoms present, then the vaccine will protect them against the virus.

Will there be a cure for rabies?

Researchers are currently working on creating a cure for rabies. Once rabies reaches the brain, it is impossible to treat.

But there are some medications that have already shown hope in animal studies. Both favipiravir and bufotenine have been effective in animals. But, this doesn’t mean they will be effective in treating humans, but it does show promise.

The best thing to do if you suspect you may have been bitten by an animal that is infected with rabies is to seek medical attention right away.

Passport Health offers pre-exposure rabies vaccines to help keep you safe from the virus. Call or book online to schedule your appointment today.

Written for Passport Health by Elle Johnson. Elle is a freelance journalist and social media content creator in Florida. Not only does she enjoy working as a freelancer, but in her free time she enjoys working on fictional stories.

Everyone travels at one point or another in our lives. Whether it be for a much-needed vacation or a work-related travel trip. Getaways are usually something that we look forward to. But, what happens when you start feeling body aches, sniffling, coughing and sneezing? If you contract the flu while you are traveling, there are a variety of things you can do to help get yourself feeling back in tip-top shape.

See A Doctor

If you feel as if you are coming down with the flu, visit a health clinic as soon as you are able. Influenza is not something to be trifled with. You can also ask the hotel concierge or embassy to find where the closest clinic to where you are staying is. Luckily, if you catch it in the beginning stages, the flu can be easily treated.

Rest

Vacations are all about rest, aren’t they? The best thing that you can do when you are down with the flu, is to rest. One of the main symptoms of the flu is feeling fatigued. Even if it is a few extra naps here and there, hot showers, and drinking some tea, at least some rest will help you to feel less tired.

Pack Ahead

If this is not a spontaneous or work-related travel, and you know where you are visiting ahead of time, you can pack an emergency kit to take with you. You can have at least some of the necessary items that you might need, lest you get sick. Some of the items you can pack include Tylenol, for pain relief and fever reduction, Pepto Bismol, if there is stomach upset, a decongestant, etc.

Hydrate

If you do fall ill, one of the most important things that you should do is to make sure that you are drinking enough. Pick up a pack of water, or electrolyte replacement (like Gatorade or Poweraid), as you can lose electrolytes from stomach trouble. As long as you keep on drinking when you can, as much as you can, then you are at less of a risk of dehydration.

The CDC shares a list for travelers on how to prevent getting the flu. A great rule of thumb for prevention is to also get your yearly influenza vaccination. But, if you do find yourself ill with the flu while you are traveling, these tips should help you feel better and still enjoy your vacation.

Passport Health offers influenza and other key vaccinations to keep you safe before, during and after your trip. Call or book online to schedule your appointment today.

Jennifer Passmore is a stay-at-home mom, writer and beader. She loves creating art with her words and through her jewelry. She is also a passionate mental health advocate. You can find more writing at her website Positivity In Pain.

Smallpox and chickenpox may have “pox” in their names, but these diseases have many differences.

Chickenpox is common among children today, even with a vaccine available. Smallpox was eradicated in 1980 by the World Health Assembly.

People infected with smallpox experienced a high fever and developed a skin rash that could leave permanent scars. Most would recover, but about 30% of cases resulted in death.

The way in which chickenpox and smallpox overlap is in the first two to three days of the development of the rash. The signs and symptoms can be almost impossible for non-medical personnel to distinguish in the early stages.

Before the chickenpox vaccine, there were about 4 million cases a year. Thousands of those cases resulted in hospitalization. Since then, both cases and hospitalizations have decreased.

Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and spreads easily from person-to-person. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chickenpox is highly contagious. If one person contracts the virus, up to 90 percent of those close to them may become infected.

Chickenpox is usually mild and uncomfortable, but it can be serious. Symptoms include a fever, headache, and loss of appetite. Individuals who are immune-compromised may experience more serious symptoms. Most treatment involves relieving symptoms, calmine lotion for itching for example. Vaccination is the best form of protection against chickenpox.

Similar to smallpox, those infected with chickenpox will develop a blister-like rash. This itchy rash will first appear on the chest, back, and face before spreading to the rest of the body. The chickenpox rash tends to develop faster than that of smallpox. It is usually on the trunk of the body, avoiding the palms and soles.

The rash associated with smallpox may start in the mouth or on the face and then spread over the body slowly. The pustules can be painful and will blister and scab over. In smallpox the pocks from the rash distribute more on the extremities and are found on the palms and soles.

Outside of the rash, the other initial symptoms include a high fever, fatigue, back pain and possible abdominal pain or vomiting. There are approved antiviral drugs to treat smallpox and there is a vaccine available. But, vaccination is only recommended for those in high-risk situations such as laboratories.

While both illnesses are highly contagious and fairly similar for the initial couple of days, chickenpox and smallpox have many differences. This includes the speed of the rash’s development, the placement of the rash and the death rate for the diseases. When there is a death from chickenpox, which is rare, due to the two illnesses rash resemblances, smallpox tends to be suspected and tested. Since smallpox has been eradicated for over forty years, potential cases are taken very seriously.

Passport Health offers chickenpox and other key vaccinations to help you stay safe at home and abroad. Call or book online to schedule your appointment today.

Written for Passport Health by Brianna Malotke. Brianna is a freelance writer and costume designer located in Illinois. She’s an avid coffee drinker and enjoys researching new topics for writing projects. Her site can be found here.

They have a bit of a reputation for being pesky during the warmer days of the year and can cause itchy and create red and raised itchy bumps that can be very annoying. One wouldn’t think that the mosquito is actually one of the most dangerous creatures on the planet. How can one tiny insect do so much damage that it is considered dangerous?

Mosquitoes are responsible for more than one million deaths worldwide each year. This is because mosquitoes carry a wide variety of diseases that can easily be spread to humans through a single bite. Some of these diseases can be deadly if contracted, these include:

• Malaria
• Zika virus
• Dengue fever
• Yellow fever
• West Nile Virus
• Japanese Encephalitis
• Chikungunya virus

That is just a fraction of the illnesses one can contract from an infected mosquito. But, how do these tiny little insects cause so much disease and chaos? It happens when the mosquito picks up a disease, typically from an animal, and the mosquito acts as a means of transportation for the virus or illness. Once it bites someone, it transmits the disease through its saliva. Once bit, one can become very ill if bitten by an infected mosquito.

There are approximately 3,000 species of mosquitoes out there. But, only around half of them actually bite and feed on human blood. Animals can also become infected with certain things, like heartworm, from the bite of a mosquito.

One study found that certain mosquitoes which carry a malarial parasite can smell human blood better than some other mosquitoes. In addition to carrying various viruses and diseases with them, mosquitoes can also carry parasites, which they can infect humans with. This is how malaria spreads.

Because mosquitoes infect so many people with diseases, they are considered one of the most dangerous creatures on the planet. But there are things that you can do to protect yourself against these pests. Arm yourself with the right vaccines to avoid contracting many of these nasty illnesses. Below are the recommended vaccines, especially if you plan on traveling to an area where there is a high risk of getting the disease.

• Yellow Fever Vaccine
• Malaria – (Vaccine in the development stage, but pills are available)
• Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine

Other vaccines in development include a vaccine for dengue fever and Zika virus. Once you have gotten your vaccinations, there are a few other things that you can do to protect yourself from getting bit.

By wearing long sleeves, long pants, and long socks, you are helping to shield your body from being exposed to mosquitoes. You should also carry with you and use a bug spray that has DEET in it. If you see standing water, move along as fast as you can away from it because pools like that are a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

With the right tools and vaccines, you can prevent yourself from contracting a mosquito-borne illness. Make sure you are prepared with Passport Health. Call or book online to schedule your appointment today.

Jennifer Passmore is a stay-at-home mom, writer and beader. She loves creating art with her words and through her jewelry. She is also a passionate mental health advocate. You can find more writing at her website Positivity In Pain.

E. Coli and Salmonella are both germs that cause food poisoning when eaten. They’re found in raw or under-cooked foods. When ingested they both cause similar symptoms. But, the two are different pathogens and cause symptoms at different points in time after exposure.

What Is E. Coli?

E. Coli, scientifically known as Escherichia Coli, are bacteria that can be mistakenly ingested if raw or under-cooked foods are eaten. The specific kind of E. Coli that causes food poisoning is commonly found in raw or under-cooked ground beef, unpasteurized dairy products and juices, raw vegetables and raw sprouts. E. Coli can also be found in unsafe drinking water.

Common symptoms of E. Coli poisoning usually appear 3 to 4 days after exposure by swallowing. These symptoms include: intense stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. E. Coli is one of the more severe forms of food poisoning. 5 to 10% of people who ingest E. Coli develop serious health complications. If you think you’ve swallowed E. Coli, you should see a healthcare provider immediately.

What Is Salmonella?

Like E. Coli, Salmonella are also a group of bacteria that can cause illness when eaten. Salmonella are found in raw or under-cooked chicken, turkey and meat. Raw or under-cooked eggs, unpasteurized dairy products and juices also harbor Salmonella. Raw fruits and vegetables, certain animals and backyard poultry also carry Salmonella.

Symptoms of Salmonella poisoning often start 6 hours to 6 days after exposure. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps and vomiting. Salmonella poisoning symptoms are not as critical as those of E. Coli poisoning. They are usually mild and will resolve on their own. If symptoms seem to persist, it’s important to see a healthcare provider.

How to Protect Yourself

Though E. Coli and Salmonella are different, measures to protect ourselves from infection are quite similar. Since both groups of bacteria are often transmitted through ingestion of raw or under-cooked foods, the best way to avoid infection is to avoid raw or under-cooked foods. Make sure that meats and fish are cooked to the appropriate temperature before eating. Do not eat dairy, meat spreads or eggs that aren’t pasteurized or cooked. As for hot dogs, deli and luncheon meats, those should be heated thoroughly before eating.

Another important way to protect ourselves from these bacteria is to prevent cross contamination. Thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables before eating or cooking. Always wash hands before, during and after food preparation to prevent spreading bacteria. Make sure to eat foods that are prepared on surfaces that have been properly cleaned and disinfected. Meats, fish and poultry should be kept separately from fruits and vegetables.

If you do get infected with E. Coli or Salmonella while away from home, you may need to visit a medical provider if symptoms persist or worsen. You’ll need good travel health insurance to get timely and reliable help. So make sure you choose a trustworthy travel health insurance before any trips you have planned so you can stay safe even if you get infected with one of these bacteria.

Make sure you are ready for any potential E. Coli or Salmonella while abroad with a Passport Health travelers’ diarrhea kit. Call or book online to schedule your appointment today.

Ese Agboh is a student nurse who wants to specialize in pediatric nursing and wound care. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing articles related to medicine and the pathophysiology of communicable diseases. Ese currently lives and studies on the east coast of the United States.