Interview with a GGD doctor
Turkey and Greece are popular holiday destinations. But you can contract dangerous diseases. If you cross the border, always ask the GGD how you can prepare, advises Winfred Schop, head of Infectious Diseases at the GGD Rotterdam-Rijnmond.
“When people visit the GGD (Health Service), people initially think of vaccinations. That is certainly one of our major tasks. But communication and information are actually even more important to us. After all, you cannot be vaccinated for many diseases. trying to avoid you.”
Do not inhibit diarrhea
“Take diarrhoea. If you suffer from it in the Netherlands, you take some Norit or anti-diarrhea inhibitors. So you shouldn’t do that abroad, because you shut down the functioning of your entire digestive system.”
“It is important that the bacteria leave your body as quickly as possible. Try to stay as fit as possible during your illness and take a bag of ORS to prevent dehydration.”
“The most serious infections abroad are salmonella typhi (typhoid fever) and shigella bacteria. You can get dysentery and bloody diarrhea from them.”
“Infection comes through personal contact or through food or water. A vaccination against typhoid fever is a reasonably good protection. You can only prevent infection with shigella by paying attention to what you eat and drink. A notorious source of infection is the ice cubes in your drink. !”
Holiday STDs
“You may not expect it, but holiday STDs are in the top 3 of infectious diseases that people contract during the holidays. Many people don’t even plan anything, but the combination of sun, alcohol and holiday atmosphere puts them in the danger zone. Alcohol and condoms don’t mix well.”
“Once back in the Netherlands, it is mainly young people who have brought an unwanted holiday souvenir with them. A pity, because you can prevent a lot of misery by using that condom.”
“By the way, we once had the male half of two elderly couples in the doctor’s office. They had left their wives on a tropical beach during their vacation and had an ‘unintentional’ – and unprotected – adventure a little further away. The result was a chlamydia infection. “
Hepatitis in Turkey
“Even people who are away from their home country for a longer period of time must be vaccinated again when they return. Because the defense against diseases in the home country decreases the longer you live in the Netherlands.”
“By the way, a piece of advice for anyone going on holiday: ask if you need any vaccinations. Holidaymakers often do not know that hepatitis A is common in Turkey. And, closer to home, outbreaks of measles have been reported in Greece and Italy in recent years. .”
“Normally, children at fourteen months receive an MMR shot. If you go to an area where measles is more common, the health clinic can advise babies to have an early MMR shot.”
“Another risk area is the popular Gambia. Dirt cheap, but a hotspot of bilharzia (worm disease), yellow fever, hepatitis A and B and malaria mosquitoes and other insects that can transmit diseases. Vaccinations and malaria pills are really necessary.”
“We advise against pregnant women to go to the Gambia in any case. Because they cannot take all precautions because of their pregnancy, they and their unborn baby run a great risk.”
“Mosquitoes can also transmit other nasty diseases, such as dengue fever. Prevention is better than cure here too, so a remedy with Deet is always essential in your holiday luggage.”
puncture fear
“Even people with a fear of needles do not have to skip their vaccinations. We have experience with people with needle stick fear and prepare anxious patients well. A tip: get special patches in advance from the pharmacy that numb the skin locally.”
“We once had a patient who in the end really didn’t dare. Then we only have one advice: don’t go to a risk country. If you come back infected, you really have the dolls dancing.”
Psychological complaints
“The ANWB receives a large number of reports of people who become mentally confused during their holiday. Sometimes people think this is because of their malaria tablets. Some contain a substance that can cause nightmares.”
“However, research shows that almost as many holidaymakers in Spain develop psychological complaints as the group of people who take these specific malaria tablets. Those pills are no longer prescribed as often, because there are good alternatives.”
“The cause of psychological complaints is probably more a combination of stress, time differences, a different environment and relational problems. In addition, people often do not take enough time to relax before going on holiday.”
Use your brain
“Be critical of agencies and doctors who also offer traveler vaccinations. See if they specialize in traveler advice. We regularly see people who have been vaccinated against hepatitis B, when it should be A. Or who received a whole series of DTP vaccinations again, while one jab would have sufficed.”
“We also notice that some people think that vaccinations are not good for you at all. A dangerous idea, because it is precisely because of the vaccinations that various serious infectious diseases no longer occur. In addition, people are traveling further and more often. This has the risk that diseases are included. to the Netherlands.”
“But fear is really not necessary. If you take the necessary precautions and pay attention during the holiday, you can travel without too much risk and enjoy a well-deserved holiday.”
