When people think of mosquito-spread diseases, they normally think about the Zika virus, malaria, and West Nile virus. One mosquito-borne disease less talked about is the Chikungunya virus. Although it may not be as well-known in certain parts of the world, it does impact certain continents including Africa, India, and Asia. And as recently as 2015 certain areas of the Americas experienced an outbreak of the virus.

Let’s take a closer look at the Chikungunya virus — what it is, how it affects the body, and what treatment and prevention are available for travelers.

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The MMR vaccine was introduced in the United States in 1971. It helps prevent measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles). All three of these diseases can lead to serious health complications, and in rare cases, they can even cause death. Everyone must receive the vaccine at some point in their life. Discover how impactful the MMR vaccine is and whether you can take it with other vaccines.

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When scientists developed the mumps vaccine in 1967, cases of the disease plummeted by over 99%. However, mumps cases do still occur and have been on the rise since 2006, mostly among college students.

Now a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found from 2007 to 2019, one-third of reported mumps cases in the United States occurred in children and teens, most of whom had been vaccinated.

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The chickenpox (varicella) vaccine is an important vaccination to get, in order to prevent chickenpox in your children. The vaccine is now a standard component of all childhood vaccination series. While it is a virus, it is rarely dangerous. It is just extremely unpleasant, comprised of an itchy rash that affects mainly the face and torso, but can also be found on the head, arms and scalp. A few other symptoms include fatigue and general irritability. With treatment, it goes away in around seven to ten days.

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Mosquitoes can spread numerous kinds of infections and diseases to humans. Two examples of this are yellow fever and malaria. While they both cause people to feel ill, they are not the same thing. Learn more about how yellow fever and malaria differ below.

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Travelling is such an exciting part of people’s lives. It touches them in ways that other things can’t. Experiencing new cultures, eating new foods, it all is a wonderful part of life. If you are planning on travelling, and you are on prescription medications, take care to organize your them, and assure that everything is Transportation Security Administration compliant. This will assure that your trip will run smoothly when it comes to travelling with medications. Below are some tips on how to organize medicine when travelling.

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When you mention the months of June and July, it tends to conjure up images of pools, the beach, and ice-cold drinks. But, not everyone wants to vacation where it is warm and sunny. Some people turn June and July on its head, seeking the snow and the cooler weather that it brings with it. So, where are some of the destinations that have snow during the summer months? Check out our guide below to learn where you can find and have your best snow day ever.

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In the warm seasons, mosquitoes are abundant. This means more itchy, red blotches may appear on your skin due to mosquito bites. But, do mosquitoes bite or sting people? The answer is neither. Mosquitoes stick a needle in your body and suck your blood out. This process is similar to how your blood sample is taken from your arm at a hospital. People refer to this action as a ‘bite’ because of how it feels.

Mosquitoes have to detect you first. They can sense sweat and carbon dioxide you breathe out from as far as 55 yards away (more than half the length of a football field). After they have detected you, they approach you and land on your body.

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Typhoid fever is an illness that is typically contracted through contaminated food or water. Salmonella Typhi is the bacteria that causes it. Typhoid is an illness that is not typically found in developed countries. More instances of it happen in underdeveloped countries. People in the United States who have typhoid, most of the time have contracted it while they were travelling.

Around the world, though, typhoid is a large global threat. Approximately 27 million people are affected. Children are at the greatest risk of contracting it and suffering serious complications from it. The disease itself has been found in various countries like South America, Southeast Asia, and India.

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When you are planning a vacation, you want to make sure that you have everything you need with you, suitcases, passports, toiletries, and most importantly, any prescription medications that you take. If some people miss their medication, it may not be a big deal. But, for others who have more serious conditions, a missed dose can be dangerous. Sometimes, travelling can present some obstacles when it comes to prescription medication, such as running out of your medicine.

The first thing that you should do is to make an appointment with your doctor to speak to them about your upcoming travel plans. They may be able to give you an extended prescription, perhaps a 60 or even a 90 day supply of it, depending on where you are going.

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