However, as Gazeta.Ru writes, those who are going to distant lands specifically to relax are not so upset by everything that is happening. In summer, few tourists went to China, Thailand and neighboring countries anyway - except maybe for treatment. It's very hot, very stuffy, and now also atypical pneumonia - what kind of rest is that! Real problems in this direction will begin if SARS is not contained before winter, because who among us doesn't like to celebrate New Year on the beach? But for now, our compatriots, out of an established habit, are turning toward the resorts of Turkey, Egypt, Spain and Cyprus, naively believing that there no infection threatens them. Dream on!
There really is no atypical pneumonia here yet. According to WHO data, the only patient found in Spain has already been cured, and the one found in Bulgaria did not even have the disease at all. However, SARS is not the only thing that threatens our tourists abroad. What don't they bring home, returning from far-off travels!
From hepatitis, diarrhea and, pardon, syphilis, well known to our doctors, to various exotic parasites and infections for which you won't even be treated, because the average domestic doctor has no idea about them. That is, you will, of course, be treated - but for something completely different from what you are actually sick with. Whether such treatment will succeed - God only knows! So we need to take care of our own health, even in countries where trips have become somewhat habitual for us, first ourselves, and second, without relaxing too much. To make the conversation more substantive, let's go through the list of the most unpleasant and frequently encountered "tourist" diseases. Otherwise you won't believe it.
Number one - cholera
Perhaps the most unpleasant of all diseases. Here you won't even be able to suffer with dignity - the main symptoms (profuse diarrhea and vomiting) won't allow it. In severe cases, patients lose a tenth of their body weight within a few hours, fall into a coma and die. However, in most cases it all comes down to excessively frequent visits to the toilet, but anyone could be unlucky. It's foolish to count on being the lucky one. At the first suspicion, it's better to immediately consult a doctor, and even better - not to bring matters to cholera at all.
Cholera is a classic "disease of dirty hands". Infection with cholera is also possible through fish, crayfish, shrimp, oysters caught in polluted waters and not subjected to proper heat treatment. Vibrios survive for a very long time in open waters that receive sewage runoff. Think about where you swim.
Vaccinations
What should you do to return home not only rested but also healthy? The rules are, in general, quite simple. First of all, at the same time as buying a tour, you should consult doctors about the diseases common to the area you plan to visit, and get all necessary vaccinations. As a rule, vaccinations against hepatitis, typhoid fever, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and meningitis are recommended. In addition, for adults, the vaccinations they received as children are recommended - against polio, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, and in certain situations - against rabies.
Having a certificate proving that you are vaccinated against certain diseases, such as yellow fever, is an absolutely necessary condition for entry into a number of countries in South America and Africa. Our beloved Egypt or Tunisia are not among them, but if you decide to go on a safari somewhere in the Central African Republic - beware. Without a yellow fever vaccination certificate, at best you won't be allowed on the plane, and at worst you'll be quarantined or sent back immediately upon arrival. In either case, your vacation will be hopelessly ruined, and most likely no one will refund your money.
The vaccination should be done at least 10 days before departure, but it then lasts for 10 years. There are no vaccinations for a disease such as malaria, and it is quite likely that you will have to take some pills for quite a long time. For example, Delagil. Simply for prevention.
Food and drink
Upon arriving at your destination, it is also recommended to behave prudently. Funny as it may seem, the main guarantee of health in Africa (Turkey, Spain, etc.) remains cleanliness. In exotic countries, you need to wash your hands regularly and with particular care, and in general never put anything unwashed into your mouth. Even an ordinary stomach upset can ruin a vacation that cost a pretty penny, and you might not get away with simple diarrhea. Unwashed hands and insufficiently clean treats are a sure path to cholera, amoebic dysentery, diarrheal diseases, a whole host of helminth infections, in which various worms breed inside your beloved organism, as well as hepatitis and much more...
So remember once and for all - do not grab anything edible from the stalls of street vendors, do not buy peeled or damaged fruit, and it is better to wash an orange or banana you have just peeled again. Of course, before you removed the peel, the flesh was clean, but, I emphasize, that was "before". Are you sure of your ability to spot a cholera vibrio or an amoeba?
Now let's approach washing from the other side. Water. In Spain and other civilized countries, you can expect no particular surprises from it. You most likely won't wash your hands in a puddle, and water from taps will be no worse than ours. But in more exotic regions, you need to approach water with caution. For instance, it is advised to wash fruit only with water containing vinegar, and to drink exclusively boiled water or bottled drinks. In no case add ice to your cola or cocktails: who knows what water it was frozen from. Among freshwater bodies, the most reliable are hotel swimming pools. It is better not to approach local rivers and lakes to cool off, and not even sunbathe on wild beaches, because in the water and in the sand whole hordes of various parasites and other creatures may be waiting for you - from schistosomes to the same amoebas.
Remember: swimming in the Nile is strictly forbidden! If you still risked swimming, or accidentally fell into the water, or dived into a not very nice pool, or just rinsed off in a dubious shower, immediately and thoroughly rub yourself with a towel. Parasite larvae do not penetrate the skin immediately - you still have a chance to remove them.
Dangerous waters
Swimming in sea water is usually not dangerous. But just in case, it is worth clarifying the features of the local marine fauna - close contact with some jellyfish, sea urchins, poisonous fish and other animals is fraught with serious complications. A wetsuit is perhaps overkill, but it is better to swim and walk along the waterline wearing shoes. God forbid you step on a sea urchin or some other poisonous "spike." By the way, the spines of these creatures are not only long and sharp, but also very brittle, and when they enter the human body they easily break, remaining in it and causing inflammation. You can, of course, remove the fragment, but it will cost you a considerable sum, and you will also need to get to a doctor.
And a sting from a scorpionfish (aka lionfish) can generally cost you your life. This fish is widespread in the waters of the Red Sea, lives near coral reefs, and is therefore very dangerous for swimmers who may step on it and injure themselves on its sharp poisonous spines. The excruciating pain that occurs is accompanied by the formation of a tumor, breathing becomes difficult, and in some cases the wound leads to death. In addition, there are also sea snakes off the coast of Egypt, which it is also better not to mess with. Well, moray eels, sharks, poisonous stingrays, mollusks - everyone knows about them anyway... Still, think about a wetsuit.
By the way, about wetsuits... Yes, a resort. Yes, romance. Yes, far from home. But keep in mind that countries with any sort of tropical climate are distinguished not only by the hospitality of the local population, but also by the widespread prevalence of syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, genital herpes and condylomas, hepatitis B... And no one has canceled AIDS either! The only relatively reliable means of prevention remains the use of a male or female condom.
Special insects
When going to bed, do not forget to make sure that you are reliably rid of mosquitoes and other midges. Mercilessly squash all that are found, cover the bed with a mosquito net, and in such a way that not a single gap remains; it is better to treat the net itself with repellents. At home, a missed mosquito can only ruin your sleep, but in exotic countries the insects are also special: local mosquitoes, sandflies, or horseflies can easily give you malaria, yellow fever, sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, and God knows what else. Beware! Caution will not hurt during the day either. In mosquito-sandfly places, try to expose yourself as little as possible, and generously anoint exposed areas of the body with repellents. And do not forget to reapply them!
Southern sun
However, most often our tourists suffer on vacation not from exotic diseases, but from the most banal ailments. Heat, noon, local residents have hidden away - and only our tourist, like Red Army soldier Sukhov, wanders through the hot desert. The result is usually this: overheating of the body, dehydration, sunburn and sunstroke, and sometimes even temporary blindness. So observe siesta, drink at least three liters of non-alcoholic fluids a day, wear light loose clothing, a pith helmet, and dark glasses.
Another scourge of our compatriots is curiosity. As is well known, it killed the cat, but tourists also have a hard time. How can one not try an unprecedented dish made from a previously unknown fish (snake, snail, monkey, dog, beetle, etc., etc.), and even prepared in an unfamiliar way? They try it - and then suffer from food poisoning or severe allergic reactions. Remember: do not eat raw fish or meat!
Or how not to climb some rock that even local residents (not to mention tourists from countries where life is valued more than ours) avoid? They climb - and then lie around with fractures and dislocations.
And nevertheless, it is worth going on vacation. After all, you can get hit by a car at home, and the probability of eating something stale here is also quite high. But you will not be able to rest like you can in Cyprus. Go!
Just do not forget to take a first aid kit with you. Even in a foreign land, it is better to use the medications you have long been accustomed to, and they are cheaper in our pharmacies.
And be sure to insure yourself with a decent company for a decent amount. It will cost very little, and will save a lot of money - doctors' services outside our country are much more expensive. Yes, take an insurance policy with you! After all, complete peace of mind, as Ostap Bender, who also sought exotic countries, used to say, can be provided to a person only by it.