Staying healthy while away
The two most common ailments suffered by backpackers abroad are bites from insects, ticks or animals and travellers diarrhoea from ingestion of contaminated food or water or from close proximity of already infected people. Below we give you a few pointers to try to reduce the risks of contracting either.
Insect Bites
Not all bites carry life threatening diseases. As well as the most common disease to be contracted by a bite — Malaria, insect bites can also be just a most annoying and uncomfortable hazard that you encounter when venturing outside.
We have listed a few things that you can do to reduce the probability of suffering insect bites while backpacking:
- Reduce the amount of exposed skin, although difficult when in areas of extreme heat and humidity try to wear long sleeved shirts, trousers and socks to cover those ankles!! Clothing that is baggy can be the most comfortable and preferably made of close woven cotton.
- Apply a good insect repellent to any exposed skin, including hands and face, avoiding the eyes. Insect repellents containing 20% + of DEET are still the best repellents to buy.
- If you are travelling to a known high risk area then it is advisable to wear clothing impregnated with permethrin which is a form of insecticide harmless to humans.
- Wrists and ankles are prone to being favoured areas for the Mosquito and wrist or ankle bands impregnated with a higher % of DEET give added protection is these prone areas.
- While you are sleeping ensure you are within a mosquito net and ideally this should be impregnated with permethrin. Watch out for any tears that you may get on the tent and keep it tucked in at night.
- If have electricity use a plug-in unit that releases insecticide throughout the night.
- Just before going to sleep give the room a spray with a 'knockdown spray'.
- Air conditioned rooms can often prevent mosquitoes from entering but only if you keep your windows closed!
Tick Bites
You can be at risk from tick bites if your travelling consists of any trekking across low growing vegetation and scrubland. Ticks can cause serious diseases as can be seen on our disease pages.
Below are a few things that you can do to help protect or detect ticks:
- When trekking in areas that you think or have been told are at risk to ticks wear trousers and tuck these into your socks. Spray yourself especially your trousers and socks with a good insect repellent containing at least 20% DEET.
- Ticks generally head for the groin area before they start feeding. The longer they are on your body feeding the deeper they attach themselves and therefore become harder to remove.
- If you have to remove a tick, take hold behind their head with your fingers or tweezers. Rock the tick gently from side to side. Be patient this may take some time, they should then release their grip. At this point remove the tick being VERY CAREFUL not to leave the head or mouthparts in the skin as this may lead to further infection. Wash hands and then apply an antiseptic. Wash hands again afterwards. If a rash or fever develops you must seek medical advice immediately.
Preventing Travellers Diarrhoea
Eating and drinking abroad can be hazardous. If you are sensible and follow some of the advice below then the chances of getting travellers diarrhoea or even worse a variety of worms or parasites can be reduced.
Below are the pointers you should try to follow when it comes to FOOD:-
- Avoid salads and raw vegetables unless they have been washed in water containing iodine or chlorine.
- Make sure that the food you eat has been thoroughly cooked, is piping hot right through to the middle and if possible, it has been prepared from fresh ingredients.
- Where possible avoid fish and shellfish.
- Avoid Ice cream and other dairy products unless they are branded or from a reliable source. Some local dairy products available in many parts of the world are made from un pasteurised milk.
- Don’t eat from buffets where food has been laid out for some time.
- Make sure that the cutlery you use is clean.
- Wash you hands before handling and eating food where possible.
- Avoid ‘Fried Rice’ since it can often be made from leftover food.
Water
For all other water chemically treat your water or boil it for approximately 5 minutes.
For details regarding treating your water see below:
- One of the most reliable methods of purifying water is to use iodine tincture or iodine tablets. You can increase the concentration if necessary and even giardia & amoebic cysts can be removed. Use a neutraliser after the iodine to restore the colour and taste to the water.
- Chlorine tablets are also a very effective method of purifying water but can’t be used for very heavily contaminated water. Unfortunately the Chlorine taste can not be removed and only disguised, maybe using a fruit cordial, coffee or tea.
- Filters & Purifiers — These can be purchased at home and abroad depending on where you are going. They do provide immediate drinking water but can be expensive to maintain over a long period of time.