But travelling brings the risk of unexpected bugs finding their way into your itinerary, turning a dream holiday into an expensive nightmare for you and your family.
Here are a few tips to make the prospect your holidays plans as trouble-free as possible…
With measles surging across Europe, it is more important than ever to ensure you and your family are vaccinated.
Measles has a devastating effect on children’s health, with young children most at risk of severe complications. High rates of hospitalisation and long-lasting weakening of children’s immune systems can occur – more than half of those who contracted measles in the WHO European region in 2023 required hospitalisation, the WHO has warned.
“No-one should suffer the consequences of this devastating but easily preventable disease,” said Dr Hans P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
Hot spots for measles in Europe in the year to March included Romania, where a measles epidemic has been declared with 4,773 cases, Turkey (4,698), UK (1,008) and Austria (456). Currently, measles cases in the UK are centred in and around London.
If you are travelling to Europe, ensure you and all your family are age-appropriately vaccinated to reduce risk of transmission. Infants too young to be vaccinated are particularly vulnerable so check with your family doctor before travelling.
Whooping cough (pertussis) is also surging in Europe, the UK and Northern Ireland. Some 32,000 cases have been reported across Europe between January and March, 2024.
Certain parts of the world are associated with particular diseases. More specific travel advice, including vaccinations, can be obtained from your GP or local travel clinic.
Once you are off and airborne, careful handwashing is important. Unclean hands spread bacteria and viruses. Washing them thoroughly takes at least 20 seconds with hot water and soap.
Insect bites can vary from irritating to lethal. Depending on what part of the world you are in, mosquitoes can spread malaria, yellow fever, dengue and other infections.
Other behaviours that put you at risk of infection on holidays include: casual sex – condoms provide some protection but not complete; injection drug use – never share needles or equipment; other exposures such as ear piercing, tattooing, acupuncture, manicure and shaving with open razors can put you at risk of infections that can have life-long implications- avoid them unless you are absolutely certain that the equipment being used is sterile
Traveller’s diarrhoea is one of the most commons complaints in people travelling abroad, with as many as half being affected. It is caused by consumption of food or water contaminated by human faeces.
Particularly risky foods include undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, raw fruits and vegetables. The main pathogens include E.coli, salmonella, campylobacter, shigella, rotavirus and giardia. Viruses are also a common cause.
Thankfully, illness is usually self-limiting, lasting 3-5 days, but that can impact on a large chunk of a holiday. To reduce the risk of infection, eat food that is fully cooked and only fruit and vegetables that are peeled.
If travelling to another country, remember the treatment of water to make it safe to drink may well be a lot less than we are used to at home, and in many instances the water may not have been treated at all. Tap water should be avoided where possible.
This means not drinking water from bathroom or bar taps in hotels and apartments, using bottled water to brush teeth, and paying particular attention to children and older people. Safe drinks include anything that is bottled or boiled.
Last September, there was an alarming outbreak of food-borne botulism in Bordeaux, France, during the Rugby World Cup involving 15 people and tragically, one death.
The suspected source of infection was home-canned sardines. Clostridium botulinum is a bacteria that produces dangerous toxins (botulinum toxins) under low oxygen conditions.
Botulinum toxins are one of the most lethal toxins known, with the ability to block nerve functions and lead to respiratory paralysis.
Foodborne botulism, the reported source of this outbreak in France and caused by improperly processed food, is a rare and potentially fatal disease if not diagnosed rapidly and treated with antitoxin. Homemade tinned, preserved or fermented foodstuffs are a recognised source of foodborne botulism and the resultant intoxication caused by ingestion of potent neurotoxins, formed in contaminated food.
Late last summer, a wave of insectophobia hit Paris and other French cities, with rumours of a plague of bedbugs tormenting visitors to events like the Rugby World Cup and Paris Fashion Week. Panic set in, with reports of sightings on upholstered seating, in cinemas and on public transport – to the degree that cinema attendance was reported to be down and people were opting to stand on the Metro rather than risk the seats.
Bedbugs are small, flat parasitic insects called Cimex lectularius that live in cracks and crevices in and around beds. They crawl out at night and bite exposed skin to feed on blood. Adult bedbugs are oval, flat, wingless, reddish brown and about 5mm long – about the size of an apple seed.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) report they are not limited to unhygienic living conditions but can be found in 5-star hotels and resorts. Thankfully, bedbugs are not known to be vectors of disease like other bugs such as mosquitoes.
Symptoms of infection include itching and loss of sleep. Excessive scratching can sometimes lead to secondary infection. Mostly they are irritating more than dangerous, but an allergic reaction to multiple bites may need medical attention.
AS they are often associated with travel – lurking in suitcases, folded clothes or furniture – people often travel unaware of their tiny companions.
Bites can be treated by the avoidance of scratching and the use of antiseptic creams or lotions and antihistamines. Infestations can be managed by pest control agents experienced with treating bedbugs.
The HPSC recommends washing infested clothes or bed linen at 60C or putting them in a dryer on a hot setting for 30 minutes. Any visible bugs can be vacuumed and the contents of the vacuum cleaner disposed of in a sealed bag. Plastic mattress covers that cover the entire mattress prevent any bedbugs getting in or out.
Hopefully, you are not reading this while having your breakfast. For those gearing up for a sun-soaked holiday with family and friends, enjoy the longed-for break and consider throwing everything into a hot wash on your return.