Health - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 1071

Treatment Antibiotics
Prevention Vaccination recommended for all travellers spending more than one week in the Mekong region,
or travelling outside of the major cities. Be aware that vaccination is not 100% effective so you must still be
careful with what you eat and drink
Typhus
Risk All countries, but rare in travellers
Cause Flea bite (murine typhus) or mite bite (scrub typhus)
Symptoms Fever, muscle pains and a rash
Prevention Insect-avoidance measures; doxycycline
STD PRIMER
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) most common in the Mekong region include herpes, warts,
syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia. People carrying these diseases often have no signs of infection.
Condoms will prevent gonorrhoea and chlamydia but not warts or herpes. If after a sexual encounter
you develop any rash, lumps, discharge, or pain when passing urine, seek immediate medical atten-
tion. If you have been sexually active during your travels, have an STD check on your return home.
Traveller's Diarrhoea
Traveller's diarrhoea is by far the most common problem that affects travellers - between 30% and 50% of
people will suffer from it within two weeks of starting their trip. In more than 80% of cases, traveller's
diarrhoea is caused by bacteria (there are numerous potential culprits), and therefore responds promptly to
treatment with antibiotics. Treatment will depend on your situation - how sick you are, how quickly you
need to get better, where you are and so on.
Traveller's diarrhoea is defined as the passage of more than three watery bowel actions within 24 hours,
plus at least one other symptom such as fever, cramps, nausea, vomiting or feeling generally unwell.
Treatment consists of staying well hydrated; rehydration solutions such as Gastrolyte are the best for this.
Antibiotics such as Norfloxacin, Ciprofloxacin or Azithromycin will kill the bacteria quickly.
Loperamide is just a 'stopper' and doesn't get to the cause of the problem. It can be helpful, for example,
if you have to go on a long bus ride. Don't take Loperamide if you have a fever, or blood in your stools.
Seek medical attention quickly if you do not respond to an appropriate antibiotic. You should always seek
reliable medical care if you have blood in your diarrhoea.