Medical Centres
Student Life
Travelling is an exciting and rewarding experience. Maintaining health and avoiding injury, illness or disease are important
pre travel goals to maximise your holiday, business or exchange experience.
Deakin University Medical Centre provides comprehensive pre and post travel-related services including, vaccination assessment,
medications review, risk assessment, safe behaviours advice (for example insect bite avoidance) and provision of education resources
such as handouts and a travel brief.
The following general travel health information and advice is designed to provide basic information AND does not replace the need for
an individualised and, or group travel health consultation or education session with a travel health professional.
Some counties require specific vaccinations to be given before entry or exit to that country (for example Yellow fever) however in the majority of cases vaccination is an important health measure to minimise contracting certain vaccine preventable diseases. It is important to remember that:
All travellers should be in date for and/or have completed the standard childhood vaccination schedule according to the travellers age
and medical history including:
Other vaccinations that may be recommended include:
| hepatitis A |
A common form of hepatitis in developing countries transmitted by contaminated food or water. The vaccine is long lasting (20 years to lifetime) consisting of 2 injections 6 to12 months apart. |
| hepatitis B | Specific risk to travellers occurs via unprotected sex, assault, injecting drug use, body piercing, tattooing or exposure during medical procedures. The standard vaccine course consists of 3 injections at 0, 1 and 6 months. |
| typhoid | Available in injection or tablet form. Recommended for travellers to high risk areas for 2 plus weeks. |
| influenza/pneumonia | Vaccination should be considered for any person travelling overseas, particularly if undertaking group based tours or living in residential situations. Vaccination should also be considered for all travellers over the age of 65 years and those with chronic medical conditions including asthma and diabetes. |
rabies
|
Vaccination is recommended for travellers spending more than 4 weeks in rabies endemic countries, especially if living, travelling or working in rural areas and handling animals. Prophylaxis vaccination consists of 3 injections at 0, 7 and 21 to 28 days. Preventative behaviours such as not patting mammals and knowing how to first aid a potentially rabid bite or scratch are important topics to discuss with your travel health provider. |
meningococcal infections |
There are two types of meningococcal vaccination available. The polysaccharide vaccine is recommended for travellers to parts of the world where meningococcal outbreaks or epidemics occur (for example sub Saharan Africa meningitis belt). Both types of vaccine are given as one injection. |
japanese encephalitis |
Vaccination is recommended for travellers spending one plus months in rural areas of Asia, in particular when travelling during the wet season, backpacking or spending a significant amount of time outdoors. It may also be recommended for longer term residence of 12 months or more. Vaccination consists of 3 injections at 0, 7, and 28 days. |
yellow fever
|
A viral disease transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes. Vaccination is required for travel to certain parts of Central/South America and sub-Saharan Africa. In some cases even when yellow fever is not a risk, yellow fever vaccination and certification is required to comply with quarantine regulations of that country. Vaccination consists of one injection which must be administered by a licenced yellow fever vaccination centre. Deakin Medical Centre provides this service at the Burwood and Waurn Ponds campus. A list of Victorian yellow fever vaccination centres is available from the Department of Human Services Victoria. A similar list should be available from your state or territory health department. |
cholera |
Cholera is a bacterial infection spread by contaminated food or water resulting in severe dehydration, diarrhoea and in some cases death. An oral cholera vaccine is available which can also provide some protection against some causes of travellers diarrhoea. |
tuberculosis (TB)
|
Overall the risk to travellers is generally low, however vaccination (BCG) may be recommended for young children living in developing countries for long periods of time. TB screening via a mantoux test may also be recommended for travellers residing in high-risk countries long term. |
All vaccines have the potential to cause side effects however in most instances they are minor and short term.
Please discuss vaccine contra-indications and potential side effects with your travel health provider.
Before travelling overseas (particularly for exchange and long term travel) it is important to be in optimal physical and mental health to
ensure maximum enjoyment of your holiday/business trip or exchange. Therefore it is recommended to undertake a health check or
medical examination, well before departure especially if you have any chronic or current medical conditions (for example depression,
asthma or skin conditions).
Ensure you carry a letter or documentation from your doctor outlining any medical or surgical conditions you have and usual treatments
including medications and allergies.
A pre-departure dental check is also highly recommended, in particular if you have not had one in the last six months. You may also
consider carrying an emergency dental kit. Discuss this with your dentist or travel health provider.
Travel insurance is critical for all travellers to cover issues including theft, loss, medical treatment and evacuation. Medical and hospital
costs in many countries is significant for example:
Shop around for policies and ask for guidance from your travel agent. This is one insurance policy you need to understand to ensure you
know exactly what you are covered and not covered for. Some policies may exclude high-risk activities including scuba diving, bungy
jumping and transportation where you may not use safety equipment such as riding a motorbike without a helmet.
A first aid kit is a must for all travellers. Kit contents vary depending on time away, destination and isolation to reliable medical care.
Recommended items include:
bandages (roller and triangular) |
paracetomol, aspirin or other |
normal saline sachets or ampoules for wound cleaning |
anti-diarrhoea medication (for example Lomotil or Immodium) |
variety of sterile, non stick dressings |
re-hydrating solution (for example Gastrolyte) |
antiseptic solution |
anti-vomiting medication (for example Stemetil or Maxalon) |
| resuscitation mask | anti-fungal preparation for thrush/tinea |
| alcohol swabs | motion sickness medication |
| pocket torch | oral or topical antihistamine medication for bites / stings /hay fever / allergies) |
| disposable gloves and plastic bags | cold/flu tablets and/or nasal spray and lozenges |
| plain gauze squares | antibiotics (discuss with your healthcare provider) |
thermometer (digital) |
anti-malarial tablets (discuss with your healthcare provider) |
| tweezers | any medication normally taken (for example the oral contraceptive pill) |
| scissors | 30+ sunscreen / lip balm |
| band aids | repellent (should contain at least 30% of the active ingredient DEET) |
| tape | permethrin treated clothes and mosquito net |
water purification equipment
|
needle / syringe / suture material kit. Recommended when travelling in developing countries and remote areas. A pack is available which includes a letter signed by a doctor indicating items are for personal emergency use |
| eye drops (for wind, dust or antibiotic) | emergency dental kit |
| ear drops (antibiotic or to dry the ear canal) | vaccination certificate |
A variety of pre-packed first aid kits are available from some travel health providers and are often a more cost effective way than
buying first aid kit items separately. Discuss your first aid kit, medications and equipment requirements with Deakin Health staff or
your travel health provider.
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Sending or carrying Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medications overseas that is not for personal use is illegal. Some time ago a female traveller was jailed in Greece for carrying headache medication containing codeine.
Before travelling contact the embassy of the country (s) you are visiting to check your medication is legal there. You can obtain further information by calling the Health Insurance Commission's (HIC) ' overseas drug diversion line' on 1800 500 147. Always carry medication in its original container clearly labelled with your name and carry written instructions and a letter of authorisation from your doctor for any medications you are taking overseas.
Try at all times to keep your first aid kit and medications in a cool and dry place and when flying ensure you carry any required medication
with you in your hand luggage. If your luggage goes missing you will at least have some medication available.
Australian prescriptions cannot be filled overseas. Take enough medication with you for the whole of your trip and avoid purchasing
medication overseas. It is estimated that up to one third of medication sold overseas is either fake or sub standard. You may not know
what you are buying! In addition many drug names are different in other countries.
Probably the greatest risk to overseas travellers is contracting a disease or infection from contaminated food or water. Although usually
minor, travellers diarrhoea affects approximately 50% of travellers. Many diseases and organisms can be transmitted by contaminated
food or water including; typhoid, cholera, hepatitis A and E and e-coil.
There are a number of strategies and products available if fresh or safe bottled drinking water is not available. Discuss these with your
travel health provider. Despite prevention strategies (as above) studies indicate travellers diarrhoea is still a common occurrence for all
travellers regardless of their trip length and safe food/water practices, therefore it is important to discuss and have written information on
how to manage travellers diarrhoea should it occur.
Insect bites including mosquitoes don't just hurt or cause infection but can transmit diseases including malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever,
typhus, chagas disease, japanese encephalitis and lyme disease!
nb- no conclusive research has found vitamin B to be beneficial in decreasing the amount of mosquito bites you receive!
Avoid deliberate contact with animals. If bitten or scratched and there is a risk of rabies treat the area immediately with (preferably) warm
soapy water OR normal saline, bottled or boiled water and apply an antiseptic. Seek medical aid immediately. Treat other bites and stings
as per normal first aid practices.
Malaria is an illness caused by a parasite transmitted by the bite of a female anopheline mosquito during dusk to dawn hours. There are four
species of malaria-causing parasites, one is rapidly fatal, while others can cause recurrent episodes over years.
There are different anti-malaria medication available. The need to prescribe and type of anti malaria medication recommended is based on a
number of factors including, country or part of a country or countries visited, time of year or season, length of stay, type or standard of
accommodation, rural or urban travel, age/ medical condition of the traveller and proximity to medical treatment.
travel health consultation
medical/health and dental check
register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
vaccine history checked and vaccines up to date
first aid kit
health and travel insurance
know embassy and consulate addresses
read up and know local laws and customs including road safety
practice insect bite avoidance
don’t pat animals including dogs and monkeys
eat & drink safely
follow all road safety laws and rules and use equipment such as seatbelts and helmets
know and follow local laws & customs - including dress standard and photography laws
take anti-malarial pills if advised to do so
practice safer sex - sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a risk in any country! Carry condoms from Australia
avoid excess alcohol and drug use - know each countries drug laws
practice stranger and acquaintance danger
know and avoid the local bugs. There are a some nasty parasites you can pick up through the skin, either by bathing in fresh water
(schistosomiasis) or by walking around with bare feet (hookworm). It is a good general rule to not walk bare foot even on a beach, to
protect yourself against burrowing parasite and cuts.
