Most children recover well from a bout of chicken pox, It is not usually a life threatening disease. They may be off school for 7-10 days and have up to 250-500 itchy red blisters and spots; they recover well and have just a few scars.
Varicella or chicken pox is highly infectious. It spreads rapidly through households, and is very common with infection of up to 90% of vulnerable individuals who come into contact with the virus

 However occasionally severe complications such as meningitis and pneumonia occur especially as one gets older. The rate of admissions to hospital for treatment of varicella is 900% higher in adults although 90% of are people affected before adolescence.

10-20% of people who had had chickenpox will eventually develop shingles (a condition characterised by numbness, itching, or severe pain that may last for many weeks and may reoccur.

In pregnancy there is a fear of severe damage to the developing baby as well as complications with the mother
It is a course of two vaccines with about 6 weeks between doses

Until recently it was recommended that children should just have one vaccine, with the over twelve years and adults having two injections. The Department of Guidelines were changed in February 2010 so here at The Travel Clinic Ltd we are recalling all children to have their second dose of varicella vaccine
Later this Spring 2010 a vaccination against shingles will be released, the DOH are looking at vaccinating elderly people with the vaccine first as they are extremely vulnerable, this vaccine will be available from The Travel Clinic Ltd as soon as it is released.
 
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Chickenpox-(Varicella).htm is a useful source of information

The raising and consumption of dog meat has been linked to the transmission of rabies to humans with two reported cases in China, one in Vietnam, and two deaths reported in the PhilippinesAlso, workers processing the meat from a rabid dog can easily become infected with rabies.

Recently a child in the Philippines has died after eating dog at a family party.

Rabies may be transmitted if dog meat is not well cooked, or eaten raw The most familiar form of eating dog meat is in the form of spiced chunks cooked in a hot-pot stew, but this is hardly the only form. Approximately 100 different dishes may be made from a single dog, depending on the local dog-cooking conventions, and not all of them are cooked. Sometimes the brains, tongue, and/or testicles are eaten raw. Sometimes uncooked "cold cuts" are eaten in sandwich wraps

It may be an issue for travellers who unknowingly may eat a stew containing dog meat, it is advised to have well cooked meat at all times.

Rabies vaccine is recommended for all travelers who may be unable to access prompt medical aid and the fast acting vaccine immunoglobulin, which is given within 24-48 hours of the bite or contact.

Infections with rabies occur when the virus is first inoculated into the victim and then absorbed into a susceptible cell where it multiplies. The virus then enters nerve endings. The virus will migrate to the brain and once the virus has then entered the brain, rabies symptoms begin to occur. Rabies is almost universally fatal afterwards. The term rabies refers only to when the person has the fatal condition.

The average incubation time before the development of symptoms is 90 days, although is has occurred is as little as 7-10 days to greater than a year. Rarely only a few days resulted in rabies and 1 case was over 6 years.

Children tend to develop symptoms faster because bites are closer to the brain (the virus have less to travel towards the brain), and often more severe.

Pre-exposure vaccination is giving the rabies vaccine to people who might be exposed to rabies.

The vaccine is given in three doses with a booster at 1 year and every 3- 5 years after. It eliminates the need for post exposure immunoglobulin treatment after a rabid bite, which may not even be available in certain countries.

The Department of Health has rolled out a programme to protect girls and women against cervical cancer.

News from the makers of Gardasil, Sanofi Pasteur MSD, shows in studies that the vaccine is protective in women up to the age of 45. The decision to vaccinate a woman should take into consideration her risk for previous HPV exposure and her potential benefit from the vaccine.

This vaccine protects against cervical cancer and precancerous cell changes in the cervix caused by HPV viruses. Cervarix guards against the two strains of the HPV virus which cause 70% of cases of cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in women worldwide and Gardasil which also protects against four strains of the HPV virus, also protects against genital warts.  Both are courses of three vaccines given over 6 months, they are not interchangeable. Both are available from The Travel Clinic for girls and women who will not be included in the DOH target groups

The vaccine has been made available to girls aged 12-13 years old from September 2008, the vaccine will also be delivered to girls up to 18 years in a two year catch-up programme.

This means that girls leaving school from 2010 will be protected by the vaccine.

Worldwide, cervical cancer affects more women under 45 than any other malignancy apart from breast cancer.  So it’s surprising that the disease, known also as cancer of the cervix, is in most cases unknown by women. 

Despite the positive impact cervical cancer screening has had in managing this disease, cervical cancer continues to have a high prevalence.  However, a feeling of optimism is emerging as for the first time, revolutionary vaccines will make it possible to prevent most cases of this disease

In the UK there are around 2,800 new cases and 1,100 cervical cancer deaths a year.  While in the US there are 10,000 new cases and 3,700 deaths per year.  Around the world, every two minutes a woman is dying of cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer commonly strikes women early, often in their mid-thirties, at an age when they are in the prime of their lives.  Many affected women will be caring for young children and extended families, so one death from cervical cancer can devastate the lives of many people.

Unlike the vast majority of other cancers, the cause of cervical cancer has been narrowed down to a single agent; the human papilloma virus (HPV).  This common, highly infectious virus, spread via sexual activity where penetrative intercourse is not necessary, will infect the majority of women at some point in their lives and 80 per cent of women will acquire a genital HPV infection by the age of 50.  

Nearly half of these infections will be by a strain of HPV which has the potential to cause cervical cancer – although experts stress that only a small percentage of women infected will go on to develop the disease as, in most instances, infections of this nature tend to clear naturally.

You can book your HPV vaccination at either of our Travel Clinics (Cambridge or Ipswich) for £140 per dose

Call us now on 01223 367 362 or 01473 2170592 to arrange an appointment

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