Travel Products & Resources

Travel medicine specialists are knowledgeable about the risks one may encounter when traveling overseas. The consult includes a review of the traveler’s medical history, immunization status, and itinerary, and then counsels about: precautions one needs to take to avoid insect-borne diseases, prevent gastrointestinal problems, the vaccines needed for safe travel, and provides prescriptions needed for safe travel.

A lot of information is available on the internet, and vaccines are easily available at various locations. However, the personalized, individualized service provided by a travel medicine specialist is invaluable for safe travel.

Yes. The International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) provides ongoing continuing medical education and also administers a certifying exam. Those who have passed the exam and keep up with their education have a special designation as a travel medicine specialist.

American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTM&H) also has certifying exams and continuing medical education. Physicians who pass this exam are certified in tropical medicine. This is important for travelers who return from exotic travels and migrants.

Dr. MAVUNDA IS CERTIFIED BY BOTH ISTM AND ASTM&H.

Yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes that are present in many countries. Yellow fever disease is present in only some countries. Yellow fever is a deadly disease.

The traveler needs to be vaccinated so that they do not get the deadly disease and also so that they do not transmit it.

Any person who has exposure to animals and bats needs the rabies vaccine. This includes veterinarians and their staff, and tourists who travel to areas where there are stray dogs and other wild animals that interact with humans. Wild-life photographers and hunters, adventurous travelers with itineraries that include rural areas, and people moving to developing countries for long term should also consider getting pre-exposure rabies vaccines. US travelers visiting friends and family in developing countries, especially children should get the vaccine.

Remember – rabies is a deadly disease. Sometimes bites and scratches from rabid animals can be missed. Post-exposure treatment is complicated and not always available in a timely manner.

Yes. However, it is not available in the US. There are different effective medications for malaria prophylaxis. A travel medicine specialist can advise about which medication needs to be used. (Often, we have people who are prescribed the wrong medication by healthcare providers who are not familiar with the types of malaria in different parts of the world.)

Yellow fever vaccine has been available for many years. 

Tick-borne encephalitis vaccine – has been available in Europe for many years. It is now also available in the US.

Japanese encephalitis vaccine is also available in the US.

A vaccine for dengue fever will soon be available in the US. It is currently available in areas that are endemic, such as Puerto Rico.