A new CDC report on the 2013-2014 flu season shines a surprising light on certain parts of the nation. Last year, 46.2% of the US population were vaccinated against the flu, but some states and demographics fell way below that national average.

One standout was Utah where only 41.5% of the population received a flu shot. At five percent below the national average, Utah’s vaccination rate is nowhere near the worst in the nation, but what is going on with younger individuals in this state is far more surprising. The flu vaccination rate in children ages 6 months to 17 years old was 9% below the national average.

Why are so many children in Utah going unvaccinated? And, why is the same thing happening in Idaho?

Indeed, the state most famous for its potatoes is 13.4% below the national average for child vaccinations, nearly double its deficit for adults which sits at 6.9% below average.

It is troubling that in both states, a large number of adults are deciding not just to forego vaccinations for themselves, but also for their children.

Meanwhile, states such as New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island are far above the national average vaccination rate, and 12 to 19 percent more children living in these areas receive flu vaccines than their counterparts out West.

Although the CDC has not released any reasons for the vaccination gaps among various locales, questions need to be asked. Is this an East vs. West difference? A difference in availability? A difference in culture? Or simply a difference in parenting?

We’d like to hear from you, so please leave a comment on why you decide to get your child a flu vaccination and why you think these differences might exist.

To schedule your own flu vaccination, contact one of Passport Health’s flu specialists at 1-888-499-PASS (7277).

Some areas of the world have been able to get rid of malaria.

Even with decades of outbreaks, the parasite is gone in many countries. However, even if countries eradicate a disease, travelers always pose a risk of bringing it back.

This problem is even plaguing hospitals in the United States. Despite getting rid of the parasite long ago, 1,500 malaria cases can be found in U.S. clinics every year.

With the ease of travel and malaria’s persistence, is it even possible to fully eradicate the parasite around the world?

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Alexander The Great remains one of the most infamous and talked about figures in history. We know so much about his conquers around the world, but so little about what caused his death. There are many theories out there as to what brought this man to his downfall, but no one knows for sure. The most realistic theories of his death involve disease and viruses.

Malaria and Typhoid

Both of these diseases were common and rampant throughout Ancient Babylon, which would have made Alexander easily susceptible.

Transferred by mosquitoes, the symptoms of both malaria and typhoid are consistent with Alexander’s symptoms right before his death.

[Read more…]

 
World Kidney Day is today, Thursday, March 12, and it offers an opportunity to discuss how to travel safely when dealing with kidney problems.  For individuals suffering from kidney issues, travel is still very possible, and it can be a huge morale booster.  In fact, many doctors encourage travel for dialysis patients, as long as their health is stable.

For many people with kidney issues, travelling can appear to be an insurmountable task and more of a pipe dream than a reality.  But, it is possible to travel and have fun while getting dialysis treatments.  Most patients who receive the treatments can travel safely and continue their treatments while away from home, but it is first necessary that each patient consult with his or her physician before taking a trip.

It is important to begin to make preparations well in advance of your departure date if you are on dialysis.  In fact, you should start planning at least six to eight weeks in advance, according to the National Kidney Foundation.  This planning includes finding a dialysis center in the location you are be travelling to as well as making arrangements for appointments while you are there.  This can be difficult during high traffic periods in certain areas or if you require a specific day or time for your treatments.  Work with your primary doctor to help you navigate these hurdles.

Your temporary dialysis location will need some information from you, and this information likely includes:

• the dates you need dialysis treatment
• medical history
• recent lab results
• recent EKG
• recent x-ray
• dialysis prescription with 3-5 recent treatment records
• dialysis access type
• insurance information
• a list of medications you take during treatment and at home

This information should be sent to the center for review before you arrive.  It is important for the center to know as much about you and your situation as possible before your arrival to ensure the highest quality of care.

If you have kidney issues, be careful while you are travelling, and don’t go overboard!  Enjoy your trip, but try not to overexert yourself.  Be sure to watch what you eat and drink, and make sure that you have received any recommended vaccinations for your destination.  Vacations are a time to relax, so try to do so!

Finally, just in case, make plans for backup medical care.  If you are working with a dialysis center, a doctor may be assigned to you with whom you should stay in contact overseas.

For more information on dialysis and travel, see the National Kidney Foundation’s page on the subject.

For more information on which vaccinations or other travel health needs you may have, visit Passport Health’s Travel Medicine portal.

Have you travelled with dialysis?  Where have you gone and what has your experience been?  Comment below, on our Facebook page or via Twitter with your thoughts.

Since childhood, we have been immunized against a range of diseases to keep our bodies healthy and well.  However, it can be challenging to keep record of all of these vaccines throughout the years, especially as we move and change healthcare providers. No one wants to get an extra shot or pay for an immunization that is not necessary, and this is precisely where antibody titer testing comes in. A titer test is a measure of antibodies in the blood, providing a check of disease immunity. The results of a titer test then allow a clinician to determine whether a vaccination is required.

A titer test involves a simple blood draw. The sample is analyzed, and results are returned within 24 to 72 hours. All Passport Health clinics offer a full range of laboratory test services, including all antibody titer testing.

Perhaps you can’t remember for certain whether you had a case of a given disease in the past, have misplaced your immunization records over the years, or can’t get in touch with your Primary Care Provider to get your medical records.  A titer test, however, will give your clinician a measure of your immunity and solve these memory and record keeping problems. Therefore, titer testing and vaccinations go hand in hand.

Titer Testing: Cost Savings
Passport Health makes every effort to not re-vaccinate if vaccination is not, in fact, necessary by offering titer testing at all locations and to all patients. As a result, our experienced clinicians are able to save individual patients a significant amount of money by first checking immunity to Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Varicella, Rabies, and MMR, for example.

Moreover, a titer test is virtually no risk – it merely involves a simple blood draw with results available almost immediately.

Titer testing is similarly beneficial for Passport Health’s corporate clients. Cost savings are evident when comparing the cost of a titer test to the cost of vaccination. Titer testing is a crucial component of any vaccine credentialing program; call Passport Health today to learn how to integrate this service into your company’s wellness program!

Source:
http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/test/antibody-titer/overview.html

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From the first cholera vaccine created in 1885 to Vaxchora (approved by the FDA in 2016), the world has a much better understanding of the disease and its epidemics. That’s why knowing how vaccination prevention works is such an important tool.

Cholera is a bacterial disease the can be transmitted in water or food contaminated with Vibrio cholerae bacteria.

Symptoms from the disease can range from mild to fatal. Cholera typically causes symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting. Both of which can lead to death due to dehydration if left untreated.

Origins of the disease trace back to approximately 500 B.C. Since then, there have been two “first” genuine discoveries of cholera’s bacteria, once in the 1850s and once in the 1880s.

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Jet lag is one of the most frequent complaints of travelers.

People anxiously await the holiday in another country, and upon their arrival, feel exhausted. The plans that they made previously made sometimes have to change, at least temporarily.

Jet lag happens when people travel east to west, or vice versa, and span a few time zones. This shift in time throws their system off and out of sync. Some symptoms of jet lag are headaches, insomnia, irritability and imbalance problems because of the changes in the inner ear. So, how does a person beat these symptoms so they can enjoy their vacation?

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Scientists in British Columbia, Canada, have found the path of a 2010 measles outbreak linked to the Vancouver Olympics, but their research has also given us a look into the importance of vaccination.

The research, which was published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, followed the spread of the measles virus almost immediately after the 2010 Olympics. Through genome sequencing, the researchers were able to track the virus’s spread and identify where it likely originated from.

Of the two strains, one spread throughout a general area while the other took a slightly different route and could be seen following a single highway, slowly spreading north.

[Read more…]

Heroes are cool, but it’s really easy to rally around a good villain.

The Lex Luthors. The Hans Grubers. The Lord Voldemorts.

It’s much harder to pinpoint the bad guy when it comes to disease.

While germs and bacteria make up the illness, they don’t provide a visible target to resent.

No, the blame and contempt for an epidemic often falls on “patient zero”.

This is how we get legends like Typhoid Mary. Vilified for carrying the deadly disease throughout New York, even though she had no idea what her actions could create.

[Read more…]

Imagine a plague that infected millions in just a year, killing as many as 5,000 people per day. For the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, this nightmare was a reality. Beginning in about 541 CE, the Plague of Justinian swept through Europe, killing up to a quarter of the Eastern Mediterranean population and possibly as much as 10 percent of the world’s population.

What Was The Plague of Justinian?

Despite the catchy name, the Plague of Justinian was identified as the bubonic plague, otherwise known for its 14th Century cousin, “The Black Death.” The disease earned its name from Justinian, the ruler of the Byzantine Empire at the time. It also has a double meaning, as Justinian’s handling of the crisis was almost its own form of infection.

As farmers and other workers were dying by the thousands, Justinian was unable to complete many of the projects he had started and began to raise taxes and change the tax code.

Procopius, a scholar of the time, explained:

“When pestilence swept through the whole known world and notably the Roman Empire, wiping out most of the farming community and of necessity leaving a trail of desolation in its wake, Justinian showed no mercy towards the ruined freeholders. Even then, he did not refrain from demanding the annual tax, not only the amount at which he assessed each individual, but also the amount for which his deceased neighbors were liable.”

What Were the Symptoms of the Plague?

We don’t know the exact symptoms of the Plague of Justinian. The current symptoms for bubonic plague include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Chills
• Swollen or tender lymph nodes
• Abdominal pain
• Gangrene

Procopius described victims suffering from these and also other symptoms including:

• Delusions
• Nightmares
• Comas

He even said some would die almost immediately after the onset of symptoms. However, we don’t know how accurate his reporting was. Procopius said the plague was killing 10,000 people every day, but modern estimates put the daily death toll to closer to 5,000.

How and Where Did the Plague Spread?

Like the modern bubonic plague, scientists believe the Plague of Justinian spread through fleas. Studies indicate the plague may have originated in China or India and was then transported to the fertile valleys of Egypt through trade routes. In 541, the Egyptian port of Pelusium was the first city to document cases, and, by 542, cases were seen as far north as England.

Due to the nature of ancient records, we don’t know the full extent of the disease’s spread. We know the Mediterranean region was the hardest hit, but anecdotal evidence indicates some cases occurred in England, Germany and other northern regions.

What Effects Did the Plague Have?

Justinian wasn’t just a leader; he was also a conqueror. By 542, he had reconquered most of the Roman Empire’s previous domain and was hoping to solidify his rule. The plague made this all but impossible as farmers, soldiers and other key members of society fell ill and died from the disease.

By 568, Justinian’s empire began to crumble as the Lombards invaded Northern Italy, and, within a few generations, enemies were at the gates. Byzantium remained a power through 1453, but it would never be as large as it had been before the plague.

Could The Plague of Justinian Resurface?

Just as with many other ancient diseases, this question has been under investigation for years. A study conducted by Northern Arizona University found the Plague of Justinian came from a now extinct form of Y. pestis or bubonic plague. So in short, it is still around. But, we are unlikely to see anything like Justinian’s Plague or the Black Death in modern times.

“We’ve greatly improved hygiene since the times of the great pandemics,” said one researcher. “The other thing is we not have antibiotics, and plague is susceptible to every antibiotic.”

To learn more about bubonic plague, see the CDC portal. To learn more about other eradicated, or nearly eradicated diseases, see our polio and measles, mumps and rubella pages.

If you are planning a trip, especially one where you may come in contact with rodents, book an appointment at your local Passport Health by calling or booking online today.

What are your thoughts on this terrible plague? Let us know in the comments below, on Facebook or Twitter.