Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
by the day-biting female
aedes
mosquito, this is a
viral disease that takes about a week to develop
following a bite. It resembles a bad case of flu;
symptoms include high fever, aches and pains,
headache and backache. After a couple of days a
red rash appears on the torso, gradually spreading
to the limbs. There may also be abnormal bleeding,
which requires medical attention.
No vaccine is available at the time of writing, and
there is no effective treatment, although paracet-
amol can be taken to relieve the symptoms (
not
aspirin, which can increase the potential for
bleeding); you should also drink plenty of fluids and
get lots of rest. Although the symptoms should
improve after five or six days, lethargy and depres-
sion can last for a month or more - consult a doctor
if symptoms persist. Anyone who has previously
contracted dengue fever is at particular risk if they
subsequently contract a different virus strain, which
can result in
dengue haemorrhagic fever
. In this
condition the usual symptoms of dengue fever are
accompanied by abdominal pain and vomiting;
immediate medical help should be sought, as it can
be fatal.
CDC
T
1800 232 6348,
W
cdc.gov/travel. O
cial US government
travel health site.
Hospital for Tropical Diseases Travel Clinic
UK
W
scotmas.com.
International Society for Travel Medicine
US
T
1404 373
8282,
W
istm.org. A full list of travel health clinics.
MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad)
UK
W
masta-travel-health.com for the nearest clinic.
Tropical Medical Bureau
Ireland
T
1850 487 674,
W
tmb.ie.
The Travel Doctor - TMVC
T
1300 658 844,
W
traveldoctor.com
.au. Lists travel clinics in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Crime and
personal safety
Despite its turbulent recent history,
Cambodia is now a generally safe country
in which to travel. It's important to be
mindful, however, of the fact that
Cambodia is one of the most heavily
mined countries in the world, and also
has significant quantities of unexploded
ordnance (UXO) lying around. In the
countryside you must stick to well-
trodden paths.
Japanese encephalitis
Japanese encephalitis
is a serious viral disease
carried by night-biting mosquitoes that breed in
the rice fields. The risk is highest between May and
October. It's worth considering vaccination if you're
going to be in rural areas of Cambodia for an
extended time or are visiting during the high-risk
period. Symptoms, which appear five to fifteen days
after being bitten, include headaches, a stiff neck,
flu-like aches and chills; there's no specific
treatment, but it's wise to seek medical advice and
take paracetamol or aspirin to ease the symptoms.
Crime
Mines and ordnance apart, there is still a culture
of
guns
in Cambodia, and there have been
incidents of armed robbery against locals and
tourists alike. Gun crime is a regular occurrence in
Phnom Penh (although considerably less
common elsewhere in the country), usually
reaching a peak at festival times, most notably
Khmer New Year. Don't be paranoid, but, equally,
be aware that a small but significant number of
visitors continue to be mugged at gunpoint (and
occasionally shot), even in busy and touristed
areas. Given this, it's a very good idea to keep all
valuables well out of sight. If you are unfortunate
enough to find yourself being robbed, on no
account resist - the consequences if you do so
could possibly be fatal. It's also worth making sure
that all bags are hidden between your legs if
travelling by moto - snatch-and-grab robberies
have also been reported, with victims occasion-
ally being pulled off the back of motos by the
straps of their bags during attempted grabs. All
incidents should be reported to the
police
as
soon as possible - you'll need a signed, dated
report from them to claim on your travel
insurance - and, if you lose your passport, to your
Sexually transmitted diseases
Cambodia has one of Asia's highest levels of
HIV/
AIDS
infection, much of it the result of the country's
burgeoning sex trade. An estimated 0.7 percent of
the adult population aged 15-49 carries the
disease, although rates are slowly falling from a
high of 2 percent at the beginning of the millen-
nium thanks to vigorous intervention by health
services.
Syphilis
and
gonorrhoea
are also rife.
Condoms
are widely available, although it's best to
stick to Western brands wherever possible.
MEDICAL RESOURCES
Canadian Society for International Health
T
613 241 5785,
W
csih.org. Extensive list of travel health centres.
