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Newark, NJ --The trip of a lifetime, be it a romantic honeymoon or a fun family vacation, requires time and planning. Unfortunately for many travelers, unplanned illness can derail the best of vacations. A study from the Journal of Travel Medicine found that one-third of travelers to developing countries and Eastern Europe experienced some form of illness during the trip.
With 45 million Americans traveling abroad each year, travel-related illness is a topic of greater focus. While diarrhea and upper respiratory infections are the most commonly reported conditions, one-half of deaths in U.S. travelers result from cardiovascular disease and more than one-quarter result from accidents.
The key to health care for traveling abroad is planning ahead, says Eliahu Bishburg, MD, Chief of Infectious Disease, Director of The Travel-Related Immunization Program (TRIP) Center at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
“By visiting a physician at least six weeks before departure, the traveler can have a full physical and allow the necessary time for initial or booster immunizations, such as tetanus, hepatitis, measles, mumps, rubella, polio and influenza, to provide the highest protection,” says Dr. Bishburg, who is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine/Infectious Disease.
Hepatitis A is the most common travel-related disease that can be prevented by vaccination. According to The American Academy of Family Physicians, five of every 1,000 short-term travelers and two of every 100 long-term travelers (staying more than two months) contract hepatitis A.
The TRIP Center: Planning Ahead for Safer Travel
The TRIP Center at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center can help travelers determine which immunizations are necessary, and provides the following immunizations: Yellow Fever Vaccine, Hepatitis A Vaccine, Hepatitis B Vaccine, Typhoid Polysaccaharide Vaccine, Meningococcal Vaccine, Polio Vaccine, Rabies Vaccine, Encephalitis and MMR.
Upon examination, the TRIP Center physicians take into consideration a patient’s current physical condition and health status and provide information and treatment that may be affected by a change in environment. When the patient returns, a follow-up examination is available. This examination helps treat and potentially eliminate any unforeseen health problems.
To schedule an appointment, travelers can call 1-888-701-TRIP (8747) Monday through Friday during the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
For More Information
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, a 673-bed regional care teaching hospital, provides comprehensive health care to its local communities and is a major referral and treatment center for the northern New Jersey metropolitan area. With more than 800 physicians, 3,200 employees and 150 volunteers, the Medical Center has over 300,000 outpatient visits and 25,000 admissions annually. The main phone number for Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, located at 201 Lyons Avenue at Osborne Terrace in Newark, is (973) 926-7000, or visit www.barnabashealth.org. For physician referral information, please call 1-888-724-7123. Follow us on Twitter: get real time news from the Saint Barnabas Health Care System at www.twitter.com/barnabas_health .
Date: May 3, 2010
Contact: Beth Salamon
Public Relations
Phone: 973.322.4926
esalamon@barnabashealth.org
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