4 Viruses Travelers to Asia Should be Aware Of

Each region around the world has their own collection of exotic and not so exotic viruses that travelers might be vulnerable to. Some are ones that you can get inoculations against before you travel whereas, for others, there’s no known protection.

It’s fair to say that most visitors to Asia don’t pick up anything untoward, but nonetheless, it’s good to understand what viruses are present in Asia.

Here are four viruses that travelers in Asia should pay attention to.

Dengue

Dengue and the resulting dengue fever are a collection of viruses that are all carried by mosquitoes.

Dengue fever has two forms. The first is regular dengue fever and the second is hemorrhagic fever, which includes bleeding as a secondary symptom.

Travelers with dengue will usually exhibit three main symptoms: fever, headache, and joint/muscle pain. Swollen glands and a body rash in the latter stages are not uncommon too.

While some medicines prescribed by a clinic or hospital will lessen the severity of the symptoms, there is no cure currently for dengue fever. Additional medicine and a hospital stay are required with hemorrhagic fever because it affects the platelet levels in the blood and is potentially life-threatening. Usually, hemorrhagic fever only occurs in the second or subsequent dengue infection.

To protect against all kinds of disease, it’s sensible for China expats to buy travel or health insurance. This will cover a hospital stay for illnesses that require it, such as hemorrhagic fever.

Zoonotic

The zoonotic viruses are highly infectious and originate from animals like bats. It can be transmitted to humans through a scratch or bite. There’s a selection of viruses that get transmitted from animals to humans, which include the Nipah and Hendra viruses.

For travelers who plan to go spelunking in caves or visit caves as part of a tour group, it’s worth considering whether you need any booster shots before you travel.

Gastrointestinal

Almost one-third of diseases reported by travelers across multiple GeoSentinel websites who returned from a trip to SE Asia were gastrointestinal by nature. The most common issues related to this included Salmonella, Campylobacter, and diarrhea.

The main issue with eating food in SE Asia is the level of cleanliness of the food, its preparation, and who is preparing it. Not every cook washes their hands thoroughly before preparing meals. Cooks at street stalls often receive banknotes as payment and go back to preparing street food without washing their hands. Therefore, bacteria on the banknotes is transferred to the food preparation area. Standards of food hygiene and a better understanding of how to achieve sensible food standards is an ongoing development issue in the region.

Be aware that unprepared food must be actively chilled and covered. Bacteria multiply in the sweltering heat of Asia. A rapid turnover of food at a busy, organized street food stall can be safer than a restaurant that doesn’t get much trade. The stall’s food might be refrigerated and fresh that day.

Zika

The Zika virus is not that common, but it occurs both in dense urban areas and rural ones too. There are a few cases a year, but the virus is particularly virulent. Zika was first seen in Africa and then traveled to Asia in the 1950s. There are no major outbreaks at present in Asia, but the odd case pops up. The virus itself is carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is common within the Asian continent.

To prevent dengue, avoid being outside during the evening and wear long pants or a skirt when you do. Get a mosquito net over the bed if your accommodation occasionally has mosquitoes flying around. Also, use common sense about food choices. Where possible, stick with places that didn’t cause you an upset stomach the last time you ate there.

This is a guest blog entry.