Jun 06 2009
Diarrhea and Gonorrhea: What the Traveler Might be Bringing Home
Travel is definitely one of today’s favorite hobbies. While travel brings you new experiences and ideas, it also brings risks and things that you don’t want. According to WHO publications, travel is associated with the following risks:
Diarrhea and Gonorrhea
Out of 100,000 travelers, 30,000 to 80,000 will develop diarrhea. The numbers are really against you. Be ready for the runs. Gonorrhea, which of course is listed for better reasons than the rhymes, happens in 110 of the 100,000 travelers. This number might sound insignificant. But I don’t think the 100,000 travelers are all engaged in at-risk sexual activities. So for the small proportion of travelers having sex with strangers and sex workers, the risk is actually quite similar to the risk of having diarrhea. Anyone has the real numbers?
Wear a Mask, and not the one for beauty.
Out of 100,000 travelers, 1000 or 1% will develop respiratory diseases. So wearing a mask is a great idea even after the H1N1 panendemic settles a little.
Next Stop is Heaven
Death, or with luck, ending up in heaven, is an extreme case of going to the wrong destination. Eventhough rare, it happens in one out of the 100,000 travelers. Always keep that at the back of your mind. Think whether your spouse or children know where the insurance policies are kept. Of course, they won’t know where they are if you don’t tell them or you don’t have one.
