travel medicine

Question 1

Malaria

Answer 1

transmitted by anopheles mosquito
plasmodium falciparum

2 to 4 weeks incubation
paroxysmal fevers, headache, myalgias

detected by PCR and blood smear

chemoprophylaxis:

atovaquone+proguanil tablets
Doxycycline

Question 2

Typhoid fever

Answer 2

caused by salmonella enterica
fecal oral route of transmission

incubation is 2 weeks
fever, headache, arthralgia
diarrhea
high sustained fevers
rose spot skin lesions

isolate organism from stool

treatment:
azithromycin or ciprofloxacin

Question 3

Travelers Diarrhea

Answer 3

3 or more loose stools a day with at least one other clinical sign:
fevers
cramps
vomiting
bloody stools

E.coli is the most common cause

prophylaxis:
norfloxacin
or
ciprofloxacin

Question 4

Dengue Fever

Answer 4

Virus transmitted by Aedes aegypti

fevere
severe back pain
rash on extensor surfaces

Second infection often more severe:
dengue haemorrhagic fever
organ dysfunction and severe bleeding, typically from the gastrointestinal tract.

confirmed with serology

2016 a partially effective vaccine for dengue fever became commercially available in the Philippines and Indonesia

Question 5

Rickettsial infection

Answer 5

transmitted by fleas, mites, ticks

Responsible for:
typhus, rickettsialpox, Boutonneuse fever, African tick bite fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Flinders Island spotted fever and Queensland tick typhus

fever
rash

treat with:
doxycycline
or azithromycin

Question 6

Brucellosis

Answer 6

ingestion of unpasturized dairy products

The symptoms are like those associated with many other febrile diseases, but with emphasis on muscular pain and night sweats.

doxycycline
and gentamicin

Question 7

Yellow Fever

Answer 7

viral disease of typically short duration
spread by Aedes aegypti,

yellow fever begins after an incubation period of three to six days.

In 15% of cases, however, people enter a second, toxic phase of the disease with recurring fever, this time accompanied by jaundice due to liver damage, as well as abdominal pain

a vaccine exists

Question 8

Q fever

Answer 8

Caused by infection with Coxiella burnetii

During its course, the disease can progress to an atypical pneumonia, which can result in a life-threatening acute respiratory distress syndrome

Less often, Q fever causes (granulomatous) hepatitis, which may be asymptomatic or becomes symptomatic with malaise, fever, liver enlargement, and pain in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen.

The chronic form of Q fever is virtually identical to inflammation of the inner lining of the heart (endocarditis)