infectious diseases
Approach to Parasitic Infections
Prevention of Parasitic Infections
Despite substantial investment and research, only one vaccine is currently available for prevention of human parasitic infections, and that is for Malaria (see Transmission of most intestinal parasites can be prevented by Sanitary disposal of feces Handwashing Adequate cooking of food Provision of purified water For the international traveler, the best advice is “cook it, boil it, peel it, or forget it.” When followed, these measures reduce but do not eliminate the risk of intestinal parasitic infections as well as the risk of bacterial and viral gastroenteritis. Handwashing is very important after use of bathrooms and latrines and prior to food preparation. Meat, particularly pork, and fish, especially freshwater varieties, should be thoroughly cooked before ingestion. Other safety measures include removing cat litter boxes from areas where food is prepared to prevent toxoplasmosis. People should not swim in freshwater lakes, streams, or rivers in areas where schistosomiasis is endemic or walk barefoot or sit bare-bottom in areas where hookworms are found. Prevention and many other vector-borne diseases involves Wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants Applyingdiethyltoluamide(DEET)-containing insect repellants to exposed skin andpermethrinto clothing Using window screens, air-conditioning, and bed nets impregnated withpermethrinor other insecticides For residents of nonendemic areas who travel in regions where malaria is transmitted, taking prophylactic antimalarial medications Travelers to rural Latin America should not sleep in adobe dwellings where reduviid bugs can transmit Prevention . In Africa, travelers should avoid bright-colored clothing and wear long-sleeved shirts and pants to avoid tsetse flies in regions where Country-specific recommendations for travel are available from theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Travelers' Healthand from theCDC Yellow Book. 