Virtually everything that we humans do for pleasure could place us at risk for illness, or even death. In recent years, a growing variety of medical conditions has been reported among travelers. The ‘top-ten’ from this list follow:

1. Diarrhea – Not the most serious, but certainly the most common. Roughly 40% of travelers to less-developed countries will develop diarrhea within 48 hours of arrival. Much of the next few days of touring will be seriously damaged by searching for a clean bathroom … or even toilet paper. In recent years, scores of ocean voyages have been cut short by mass outbreaks of vomiting and diarrhea – related to Norovirus infection.
2. Skin disorders due to sun, heat, humidity and insect bites. Like diarrhea, not life threatening – but no fun while touring.
3. Insect-borne fevers. Dengue and Chikungunya are becoming increasingly common and are no longer limited to “local natives.” Both diseases are characterized by headache, high fever, muscle and joint pain. The incubation periods are short – meaning that the traveler is likely to still be on the road, with no chance for continued tourism and the risk of exposure to sub-standard health care.
4. (more…)

Due to a number of requests, a few updates to the GIDEON code were made to enhance compatibility with the webkit based browsers: Apple Safari and Google Chrome. Essentially this improved marking signs and symptoms in these browsers and enhances the GIDEON experience on the Apple iPhone.

Please let us know how this is working for you.

Dr. Steve Berger, GIDEON’s Chief Medical Advisor, is quoted in the article “Is Your Keyboard Making You Sick?” in the US News and World Report:

“The bottom line is it’s actually nothing to worry about,” says Steve Berger, director of microbiology and tropical medicine at the Tel Aviv Medical Center. “We’re living in a sea of bacteria. The germs that you’re dealing with are normal bacteria, and nobody’s going to catch anthrax or Ebola or anything from a keyboard.”

Health travel tips from Dr. Steve Berger, GIDEON’s medical advisor:

1. If you are planning a trip to any country, become aware of the local health situation, ongoing disease outbreaks, weather, emergency telephone numbers, availability of medicines you may be taking.
2. If you will be traveling to a tropical or developing country, consult a Travel Medicine Clinic for advice, vaccines and preventive medications.
3. Eat only well cooked foods, preferably in “clean” or “modern” facilities. Avoid eating fresh vegetables, exotic plants and animals and non-bottled water.
4. In areas where mosquito-borne diseases (malaria, dengue, etc) are endemic, use insect repellents and wear long-sleeved clothing appropriate to local weather.
5. Things to avoid: high-risk trauma which might result in “local” health care (injections, blood), unsafe sex, contact with animals.
6. If you feel ill following return home, consult an expert in Travel Medicine – bring a written itinerary which details dates of travel and return, exact places visited, foods eaten, health status of accompanying persons, vaccines and drugs received.