Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DON'T LET THE BEDBUGS BITE
Bedbugs live in the cracks of furniture and walls and migrate to the bed at night to feed on you. They are more
likely to strike in high-turnover accommodation, especially hostels, though they can be found anywhere. An ap-
pearance of cleanliness is no guarantee there are no bedbugs. Protect yourself with the following strategies:
»
Ask the hotel or hostel what it does to avoid bedbugs. It's a common problem and reputable establishments
should have a pest-control procedure in place.
»
Keep your luggage elevated off the floor to avoid having the critters latch on - this is one of the common
ways bedbugs are spread from place to place.
»
Check the room carefully for signs of bugs - you may find their translucent light-brown skins or poppy-
seed-like excrement.
If you do get bitten try the following:
»
Treat the itch with antihistamine.
»
Thoroughly clean your luggage and launder all your clothes, sealing them afterwards in plastic bags to fur-
ther protect them.
»
Be sure to tell the management - if staff seem unconcerned or refuse to do anything about it complain to the
local tourist office and write to us.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
The following are the most common for travellers:
Dengue Fever
Becoming increasingly common in cities. The mosquito that carries dengue bites day and night, so use
insect avoidance measures at all times. Symptoms can include high fever, severe headache, body ache, a rash and
diarrhoea. There is no specific treatment, just rest and paracetamol - do not take aspirin as it increases the likelihood of
haemorrhaging.
Giardiasis
Relatively common and transmitted through personal contact and contaminated food and water. Symptoms
include nausea, bloating, excess gas, fatigue and diarrhoea. The treatment of choice is Tinidazole, with Metronidazole
being a second option.
Hepatitis A
This food- and water-borne virus infects the liver, causing jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), nausea and leth-
argy. All travellers to Malaysia should be vaccinated against it.
Hepatitis B
The only sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can be prevented by vaccination, hepatitis B is spread by
body fluids.
