In today's world, it is possible to traverse the globe in 36 hours or less. Though this "express" travel to faraway lands can be quite attractive to those racking up frequent flyer miles, it also comes with a significant downside. Travelers may unknowingly carry disease back to the United States from a remote area, as symptoms do not appear until after they have returned home. Such emerging diseases include severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), dengue fever, malaria and other insect-borne diseases. Some diseases with long incubation periods may not present with symptoms until months, or occasionally, years, after travel.
Many emerging diseases and their manifestations may be unfamiliar to physicians who have not practiced in foreign countries, or who do not specialize in travel or tropical medicine. If you believe you may have acquired a disease while overseas, please call us at 781-744-8860 so we can schedule a consultation with one of our specially trained Travel Clinic physicians.
