Although it may not feel like it, the fall months are right around the corner. Colder, wetter temperatures causing people to stay inside also bring increased exposure to germs and viruses. Suddenly finding yourself with a runny nose, cough, and muscle aches from the common cold or influenza is not uncommon during the colder seasons.

While influenza may seem more like a nuisance than a fatal disease, it is possible to die from the virus. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported of the 35.5 million people sick from influenza, 34,200 people died from the disease between 2018-2019.

But just how deadly is influenza and who is most at risk?

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Our primary method of vaccination uses a needle and syringe to inject a serum into our bodies which helps train our immune system to protect us from infections. But, scientists are discovering new needle-free methods of vaccination.

Needle-free vaccines are being developed as a response to many concerns about standard needle-syringe vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States, estimates that more than 300,000 healthcare providers experience needle-stick injuries annually in US hospitals. An estimated 5 accidental needle-stick injuries occur per 100 injections worldwide, posing a considerable risk to healthcare workers.

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Getting sick during or after travelling is nothing new. Washing hands frequently, wearing a mask, and being careful what you eat and drink can help protect you from illness when in a new place.

Most travellers do not think about protecting their eyes when they travel. Pink eye — also known as conjunctivitis — can be irritating, possibly painful, and will make travel less fun. Knowing how to safeguard your peepers from pink eye can save you from this annoyance while on vacation.

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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.

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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.

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.

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