Heading to the Olympics?

2008-07-01 09:00

New York - If you're heading to the Beijing Olympics, you should worry less about catching an exotic disease and more about bronchitis and dog bites, according to a report in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Dog bites, respiratory infections and diarrhoea have been some of the biggest health threats to travellers to China in the past 10 years, says an international research team that examined surveillance data collected from travel and tropical-medicine clinics worldwide.

Relatively minor injuries, like muscle strains and joint sprains, have also been common among visitors to China - possibly related to relatively low construction and safety standards in some public places, according to the researchers, led by Dr Nina Marano, of the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

On the other hand, she and her colleagues found, only rarely have travellers become infected with a tropical or parasitic disease.

"Many international travellers worry about exotic diseases," Marano said in a statement issued by the CDC. "They probably don't think about injuries or dog bites, but the study found that travellers to China sought treatment for these ailments more often."

"Travellers need to be cautious about dog bites," Marano added, "as China has the second highest rate of human rabies cases in the world."

According to the CDC, travellers can help ensure a safe trip by taking some precautions. This includes making sure all vaccinations are up-to-date and visiting a travel-medicine clinic to get some professional advice before the trip.

While in China, the CDC says, travellers should "avoid all animals". Anyone who is bitten by an animal should wash the wound promptly and seek reliable medical care.

The agency also encourages travellers to wash their hands frequently to lessen the risk of contracting a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection.

To further cut the risk of diarrhoeal illnesses, travellers should also eat only fully cooked, hot meals, and fruits and vegetables that they wash and peel themselves.

To ward off injuries, the CDC recommends wearing comfortable walking shoes and taking care when crossing streets and using public transportation.

"We hope travellers take this information and use it to prepare themselves for a healthy trip," Marano said.

"Using common sense while in Beijing can also help keep you healthy," she added. "Wash your hands, watch your step, and don't pet stray dogs."

- Reuters