Category Archives: Blog-uk

Getting sick during your holiday is something you shouldn’t even think about. That is precisely why it is important to consider this when preparing for your trip, so that you can reduce the risk of contracting travel diseases as much as possible. In this blog we share ten diseases that are common when traveling and what you can do to get through your holiday healthy.

1. Traveler’s diarrhea

Traveler’s diarrhea is the most common illness that people can contract during their travels. You then suddenly get watery stools and often abdominal cramps. Sometimes you also vomit and get a fever. About a third of all travelers to (sub)tropical areas become infected during their trip. You ingest the bacteria that cause traveler’s diarrhea through contaminated food and drinks.

Contamination can never be completely prevented, but you significantly reduce the risk if you only drink from bottles that you have opened yourself. So do not drink tap water or drinks from bottles that have already been opened and do not take ice cubes. Coffee and tea are fine, as long as the water used to brew them is properly boiled. If you wash fruit and vegetables with contaminated water, you can still become infected, so be careful and preferably only eat fried and boiled food.

2. Respiratory tract infections

Respiratory infections are caused by viruses or bacteria. Two well-known respiratory infections are colds and flu. You become infected by breathing in the pathogens. Sometimes people also get sick when they have had the air conditioning on for a long time. This can happen if the air conditioning is not properly cleaned and maintained. If a source of infection arises, the pathogens will easily reach anyone who breathes the cooled air.

Don’t feel like catching the flu or cold during your trip? Boost your immune system by eating enough fruit and vegetables (but be careful not to risk traveller’s diarrhea). And does the air conditioning in your travel accommodation look like it could use some maintenance? Then try to survive the heat without air conditioning.

3. Cystitis

A bladder infection mainly occurs in women and is characterized by frequent urination, but urinating small amounts can cause pain. The bacteria that usually cause bladder infections live in everyone’s intestines. Sex, drinking too little, not emptying the bladder completely and waiting too long before urinating increase the risk of infection. Because people often drink too little while traveling or cannot always go to the toilet immediately when they feel the urge, the risk of a bladder infection during a trip is sometimes greater.

That is why the standard advice to prevent a bladder infection also applies during your trip: urinate as soon as you feel the urge or after you have had sex, always urinate completely empty and make sure you drink enough (two to three liters per day).

4. Typhoid fever

Typhoid fever is a contagious intestinal disease that occurs all over the world, but mainly in parts of Asia and Africa. The bacteria that cause the disease are found in the blood, urine and feces of an infected person, who passes on the bacteria by, for example, not washing their hands properly after visiting the toilet. Food, drinks, door handles and other surfaces that the person touches can then pass the bacteria on to others. It takes one to two weeks before you become ill after an infection. You may then experience fever, abdominal pain, headache, red spots, loss of appetite, constipation and sometimes diarrhea.

The measures against typhoid fever are partly the same as the measures against traveler’s diarrhea: only eat cooked or fried food and only drink from bottles that you open yourself. You can take an additional protective measure against typhoid fever: the typhoid vaccine. With one injection you are 60 to 70% protected against serious complications from typhoid fever for three years.

5. Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is an inflammation of the liver, the virus of which spreads through the feces of infected people and the things they touch if they have not washed their hands properly after going to the toilet. The disease mainly occurs in the Mediterranean region, especially in Egypt and Turkey. After an infection, you may feel ill and may develop fever, nausea, abdominal complaints and a loss of appetite. After a few days, additional complaints arise.

You prevent infection with hepatitis A by washing your hands often and thoroughly. You can also get vaccinated. One vaccine provides protection for one year. If you also get a second vaccine, you will be protected for forty years. You can also opt for a combined vaccine that also protects against the next disease on this list: hepatitis B.

6. Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a liver inflammation caused by a virus that occurs all over the world. The virus spreads through semen, pre-cum, vaginal fluid and blood, so you can contract it through unsafe sex or through contact with infected blood. This does not have to be direct blood contact; You can also become infected if you use the same needle as someone with hepatitis B. You can become ill two to three months after infection. You notice this in fatigue, fever and jaundice. Sometimes life-threatening complications can occur and in some cases the disease is chronic.

You prevent infection with hepatitis B by only having sex with a condom and being careful with needles. Don’t get tattoos, piercings or beauty treatments that use needles if you have any doubts about the hygiene standards at your travel destination. You can also get vaccinated. If you receive the three doses of this vaccination at the right times, you will be protected for life. You can opt for a combination vaccine that also offers protection against hepatitis A.

7. Tetanus

Tetanus is also popularly called the ‘street dirt’ bacteria. The Tetanus bacterium occurs almost everywhere in the world and can be contracted through an injury to the skin, for example from a fall on the street, from stepping on a rusty nail or from the bite of an animal. It takes an average of 3-21 days before you develop symptoms of Tetanus, but it could also take longer. The complaints start with stiffness and muscle cramps, followed by breathing problems and swallowing problems. Untreated, one can die from Tetanus.

You can prevent Tetanus by vaccination with the Tetanus vaccine, this can be done preventively or as soon as possible after risk contact. The DtP vaccine is recommended for travelers, this vaccine also protects against Tetanus and Diphtheria and Polio. The vaccine provides protection for 10 years and is also included in the National Vaccination Program.

8. Malaria

Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes and cannot be transmitted from person to person. The mosquitoes that can transmit malaria are found in Asia, South America and Africa. You usually become ill ten to fourteen days after the infection. You then get a flu-like feeling, fever, chills, muscle pain and headache. You also get fever attacks, which return every 48 to 72 hours, depending on which parasite you have.

There is currently no malaria vaccine, although we are working hard on it. That is why you will especially have to take measures against mosquito bites during your trip to protect yourself. Wear covering clothing, apply mosquito repellent and sleep under an impregnated mosquito net. To be able to intervene quickly if you do get mosquito bites, you can get malaria pills to take with you during your trip. In South America and most of Asia, you only take these pills if you have complaints associated with malaria for two days or when a blood test shows that you have malaria. In most of Africa it is wise to take malaria pills as a preventive measure, even if you have no problems.

9. Dengue fever

Dengue fever or dengue is a viral infection that you can contract through a mosquito bite. The mosquitoes that spread the virus are mainly found in subtropical areas, such as Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America and Southeast Asia. Usually you will not get any complaints, but if you do, you will notice it after three to fourteen days. The symptoms are similar to those of the flu, such as fever spikes, headache, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, coughing and muscle and joint pain. Sometimes serious complications can arise.

You prevent infection by taking mosquito measures as we described above in preventing malaria. Unlike malaria, there is a vaccine for dengue fever. This vaccine consists of two doses that must be separated by at least three months. It is not yet known exactly how long this vaccine will provide protection. Since it is a live attenuated vaccine, you may experience side effects, especially after the first dose.

10. Chikungunya

Chikungunya is a viral infection that can be contracted through mosquito bites. The mosquitoes that spread this virus are found in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America and Southern Europe. You can become ill within one to twelve days after the mosquito bite, which is noticeable in fever, muscle and joint pain, nausea and fatigue. Most people get better after two weeks and are then protected against the virus for life, but in some cases joint complaints persist for a long time.

In contrast to the mosquitoes that transmit malaria and dengue fever, the mosquito that transmits chikungunya is mainly active during the day. Therefore, take anti-mosquito measures not only at night, but also during the day. Wear covering clothing, apply mosquito repellent and lie under a mosquito net during the day if you want to take a nap. There is no vaccine yet against chikungunya.

Well prepared for your trip with tailor-made travel advice

You now know what the most common travel diseases are and what you can do about them. However, this list includes the diseases that are most common around the world. This may be different in your destination country. For example, in Eastern Europe you don’t have to worry so much about typhoid fever, but you do run the risk of FSME/TBE if you plan to go into nature. The measures you can take to travel and return home as healthily as possible also depend on your own health and what you want to do during your trip.

That is why our travel nurses always talk to you first, so that we can prepare tailor-made travel advice together. You can get the vaccinations included here at vaccinatiecentrum.nl. We also arrange prescriptions for any travel medication, such as malaria pills.

Is there a trip planned? Some vaccinations consist of multiple doses with a certain waiting time between them. Therefore, book an appointment well in advance at vaccinatiecentrum.nl, so that together we can ensure that you are well prepared for your trip.

_{Dit blog is gepubliceerd op 1 november 2023.}

_{Dit blog is gepubliceerd op 30 maart 2023}

Our intern Nina is studying at HAN university of applied sciences to get her bachelor’s degree in nursing. For her minor, she travelled to Suriname to do an internship at the Academic Hospital of Paramaribo.

Nina says: “while studying nursing, I travelled to Suriname for my minor. I had never been outside Europe before! When I heard that HAN university of applied sciences offered this opportunity, I was immediately hooked. The combination of studying and travelling really appealed to me.”

Which vaccinations do you need?

Nina got several vaccinations before her trip: “For the vaccinations, I went to vaccinatiecentrum.nl in Nijmegen. I was given good advice on how to stay healthy during my trip and information on the vaccinations that were recommended. In the end, I chose to take vaccinations against DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, polio), hepatitis A and rabies. I already had the vaccination against Hepatitis B. After I got the required vaccinations, the excitement began to rise because I was now ready to go!”
The aim of vaccinatiecentrum.nl is to ensure that you run as little risk as possible of health problems during your internship abroad. We do this by providing vaccinations and giving advice on preventive measures you can take to avoid health problems during your trip. That is why we always provide personal vaccination advice, tailored to your personal circumstances and wishes.

My internship in Suriname

Nina says: “in April, the time to start my journey had come, I was going to Suriname for 3 months. After a 9-hour flight, we arrived in Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname. The first thing I had to get used to was the tropical temperature. I stayed with other students in a student house. My internship was at the Academic Hospital of Paramaribo where I worked in the surgery department, gynaecology/ maternity ward and in the delivery rooms. It was special to see how healthcare was organised in Suriname. Many materials were in short supply. Also, the staff received a salary of less than 200 euros a month! Despite this, people were all very positive and welcoming. What I found very special was being allowed to watch deliveries in the delivery rooms!

On weekends, I had time off from my internship and we went to explore the country. During that time, I did several cool trips. We went into the jungle a lot to spot animals. Here I saw and even held snakes and tarantulas!

What has stayed with me the most is Kumalu. This is a village far inland. We first had to drive by bus for 4 hours on mud roads, before arriving at Atjoni. Here the roads stopped and you could only go further inland by korjaal (a small boat). With the guides and other students in a korjaal, we had to travel another 4 hours to arrive at Kumalu. Kumalu is in the middle of the jungle, in the centre of Suriname. We stayed 2 nights and got to know the ancient tribes living here. These were people who had once been brought from Africa to Suriname as slaves and were still living here today. It was special to see how primitive these people still live. Cleaning fish and bathing yourself all happened in the river. The people we met in Kumalu lived with their entire families in small huts.

I also went to the Fredberg. Climbing this mountain is a must if you go to Suriname. It was a climb of about 2 hours to get to the top of the mountain. Once on the mountain, you had a great view of the jungle of Suriname. This was truly a beautiful sight! The view during sunrise or sunset is something I won’t soon forget.

I really liked the Surinamese culture, the people are happy with what they have, and have a relaxed and friendly attitude. In addition, the food was also fantastic! Suriname has a good inspection service, which checks the quality of the food being sold. In addition, the Public Health Bureau monitors hygiene in restaurants. We cooked for ourselves most of the time, but also often went to eat roti or Surinamese noodles at a small restaurant on weekends. Whether you can drink the tap water depends a lot on where you are. In our student house, you could drink the water from the tap, in the beginning I was a bit nervous about doing this, but fortunately I didn’t get sick. In the hospital, you couldn’t drink this water and we took bottles of water ourselves.

In short, doing an internship in Suriname is an exceptional experience. The locals are very hospitable, the weather is nice and because most people there speak Dutch it makes you feel right at home.”

^{Dit blog is gepubliceerd op 26 februari 2023}
Shingles awareness week

Everyone has probably heard about shingles, but few people know exactly what kind of disease it is and how to recognise shingles. Shingles is a severe disease, according to the Dutch Health Council (GR).

For the first time in the Netherlands, a Shingles Awareness Week will be organised from 27 February to 5 March 2023. By Samenwerkingsverband Pijnpatiënten naar één stem, International Federation on Aging (IFA), the GGD platform and GSK, awareness will be raised about shingles. The aim is to create more awareness with the following media campaign; Shingles has many faces. One in four people will have a story of their own. Share your story (at www.aandachtvoorgordelroos.nl).
 

In the Netherlands but also in surrounding countries, awareness is raised about the symptoms and the impact that shingles can have on a person’s life.

Because the immune system weakens as a person ages, the risk of getting shingles increases at older age. The virus that causes shingles can suddenly become active again. Anyone who has ever had chickenpox can get it. People usually recover from shingles on their own. Nevertheless, shingles can be very painful and sometimes cause nerve pain that can persist for a long time. This pain can last for months or in some cases years in the form of burning pain or tingling, or hypersensitivity to touch, heat or cold.

www.aandachtvoorgordelroos.nl provides more information about shingles and allows everyone to share their own stories. By sharing stories, shingles becomes relatable to everyone and different experiences and information can be shared.

Prevention of Shingles

A vaccine that helps prevent shingles and nerve pain after shingles is available for people aged 50 and over. This vaccine, called Shingrix, is specifically designed for people who have had chickenpox before. The vaccine contains proteins from the surface of the virus that causes shingles. The vaccine also contains a number of substances that boost the immune system’s response to the virus.

Because the body is able to produce antibodies against the virus more quickly after the vaccination, the risk of developing shingles is significantly reduced. Clinical trials showed Shingrix to be 90% effective in preventing shingles in people over 50 years old. In many countries, Shingrix is widely given to elderly people aged 60+, there have been very good results with this vaccine.

Vaccination reimbursement

If you meet a number of (strict) criteria, a shingles vaccination is covered by basic health insurance. Check with your health insurance company whether the vaccination is (partially) covered.

For more information on vaccination costs, please visit our rates page.

Would you like to book an appointment for a vaccination right away? Call 085 902 03 03.

_{Dit blog is gepubliceerd op 19 november 2019 en geactualiseerd op 22 juni 2023}

Most outdoor enthusiasts are all too aware of the danger posed by ticks.

The widespread attention to Lyme disease means that more and more people know about the symptoms, treatment and prevention of a tick bite. What far fewer people know is that ticks can also transmit another disease: namely tick-borne encephalitis, or TBE, a disease caused by the TBE virus. Do you enjoy camping, hiking, gardening or other outdoor activities? In this blog, you’ll learn how to recognize, treat and, of course, prevent TBE.

What is tick-borne encephalitis?

Tick-borne encephalitis is meningitis or encephalitis caused by the TBE virus. This virus is transmitted by infected ticks. Before 2016, this virus was almost exclusively found abroad, but since then the virus has also been found in ticks in the Netherlands. It is therefore important when informing people about ticks to talk not only about Lyme disease but also about tick-borne encephalitis.

What happens when you have a TBE infection?

There are different subtypes of the virus, but the symptoms are generally similar. Usually, infection with the TBE virus does not cause any problems. In many cases, a person does not get sick. However, when someone does get sick and the infection progresses to tick-borne encephalitis, you can distinguish two phases.

The first phase begins 7-14 days after the tick bite. During this phase, a person may experience headaches, muscle aches, fever and nausea. However, one-third of infected people do not notice this phase. This phase lasts 2-7 days and is often followed by a week without symptoms.

During the second phase, two types of inflammation may develop: inflammation of the brain tissue (encephalitis) and/or of the meninges (meningitis). During this stage, symptoms such as severe headache or fever occur and hospitalization is necessary. There are currently no medications to treat tick-borne encephalitis.

How do I prevent infection with the TBE virus?

In the case of tick-borne encephalitis, it is easier to take preventive measures against a tick bite than to treat the disease when an infection occurs. By taking preventive measures before you put yourself in a high-risk situation, you significantly reduce the chances of a tick bite. You are at increased risk of a tick bite when:

• It is spring or summer
• You go to forests or grassy areas
• You undertake an outdoor activity such as camping, biking or hiking
• You are outside for long periods of time for other reasons

Areas in Europe where ticks may carry the TBE virus include Germany, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Croatia, Austria, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia and part of Scandinavia. In these areas, as well as in the Netherlands and other countries where ticks are present, it is wise to take preventive measures. Wear long sleeves, long pants and tuck your pant legs into your socks. Use insect repellent with DEET and check yourself and others for ticks afterwards.

Remove ticks with tick forceps, clean the skin with alcohol and keep a close eye on the affected skin for the next few days. The TBE virus is transmitted almost immediately after the bite, but quick removal seems to reduce the chance of infection. In addition, removing the tick reduces the chance of contracting another disease, such as Lyme disease.

Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis

Vaccinatiecentrum.nl offers a vaccine that provides up to 95% protection against TBE. This vaccine protects against each of the three subtypes of TBE. A tick-borne encephalitis vaccination is especially recommended if you plan to spend an extended period of time in an area where TBE is prevalent.

The vaccine against TBE consists of a series of three vaccinations. Before departure, two vaccinations are given one month apart. After 6-12 months, or before the start of the next tick season, a booster vaccination is given. After this, you are protected against tick-borne encephalitis for three years.

If you are going to a country where tick-borne encephalitis is prevalent or if you plan to spend a lot of time in nature, feel free to book an appointment at vaccinatiecentrum.nl for a personalized health consultation.

_{Dit blog is gepubliceerd op 7 mei 2023}

Our nurse Lisanne tells:
“I have always intended to go on a long and distant journey one day. For this reason, my sister and I decided that we would travel around Thailand together and then fly to Bali. We only booked the outward and return flights, the rest we would figure out along the way. For the travel vaccinations, we first went to vaccinatiecentrum.nl for advice. I would need the DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, polio), hepatitis A and rabies vaccinations. I had already had most of these vaccinations, requiring only a repeat DTP vaccination. Because we were in Asia for less than 3 months, a typhoid fever vaccination was not necessarily needed either. Apart from vaccinations, one of the most important pieces of advice was to wash your hands well and make sure the food was prepared properly. If you do not prepare your food yourself, you should make sure it has been prepared in a way that ensures that bacteria and viruses in the food die before you eat it.

We landed in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, and right away we had to get used to the different culture and people. There were scooters everywhere and lots of taxi drivers approached us. We were among the first tourists to come back to Thailand after tourism had virtually stopped because of the Covid pandemic.

We soon saw that locals did not eat in restaurants, but mainly got food from street food stalls. This made us very curious about the food prepared in these stalls. Because both my sister and I did not speak Thai, we did not know what we would get, but we decided to queue at the back of a busy street food stall anyway. When it was our turn, fresh Pad Thai was being prepared before our eyes. This is a local dish usually made with a lot of spices, noodles and prawns. When we ate this we found out why there were so many people queuing for it, it was really delicious and it only cost 80 cents!

After that delicious pad thai, we got a taste for street food and tried several stalls. One of these stalls sold pre-cooked meat unknown to us. Unfortunately, my sister and I woke up the next day with a slight stomach ache and diarrhoea, probably something was wrong with the meat after all. We had not paid close attention to ensure ourselves that the meat was well-cooked and freshly prepared. Fortunately, both of us were only sick for a day and then we were able to get back to our adventure.

When we left for Bali, we thought we could expect pretty much the same in terms of food and street food stalls. Yet this was different in Bali than in Thailand. There were fewer street food stalls here and Bali was more focused on tourism. Often there was an English translation next to the indonesian text or the vendor spoke English. Also, people in Bali use a lot more chilli and spice in their food. In Bali, we had dinner with locals my friends had met while fishing for tuna. The fisherman’s wife had prepared tuna, prawn crackers and a salad for us. With the few words of English she knew, she explained to us that she had made the food less spicy for us because she was afraid it would otherwise be too spicy. Full of enthusiasm, we started eating and very soon all our faces turned red. Even though the woman had made it less spicy, it was still very hot. Nevertheless, it was delicious even though I normally don’t even like fish. The fact that it was very spicy didn’t stop us from eating it all. Though we couldn’t taste much for the next two days.”