The Travel Doctor
Traveller's medical & vaccination centre
Latest News
Unusual parasitic disease of muscles reported from Malaysian resort
The Geosentinel network has published a report on the detection of a parasite causing symptoms of severe muscle pains and fever in German vacationers returning from Tioman Island off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. More...
Polio update figures provide reason for optimism
In its update for 5th January 2012 The Global Polio Eradication Initiative states that if no cases are reported, and all pending samples return negative in the coming weeks, on 13th January India will have passed one year without a single child being paralyzed by polio for the first time in its history. More...
Norovirus closes hospital beds in the UK
Eighty-two beds have been closed on two wards and bays at the 500-bed Northwick Park in Harrow after patients developed norovirus infection (sometimes called "winter vomiting bug"). More...
Reused needles suspected as cause for Hepatitis C outbreak
More than 200 villagers, many of them children, have been found infected with hepatitis C virus in east and central China over the past 2 weeks, with the reuse of old needles by a rural clinic suspected as the cause. More...
Indiscriminate use of insecticide at Iguacu condemned
The municipality of Foz do Iguacu (the city on the Brazilian side of the popular tourist area of Iguacu Falls) appears to have adopted a policy of widespread use of insecticides in an effort to control the mosquito-borne disease dengue fever. More...
Novel Flu Virus detected in USA
In a despatch dated 20 November 2011 the Centers for Disease Control reported on cases of mild illness caused by a "re-assorted" H3N2 swine origin influenza virus. More...
World Pneumonia Day
The third annual World Pneumonia Day - November 12 - is being marked by public awareness events in many countries around the world, promoted by a coalition of approximately 120 major health, humanitarian relief, advocacy, faith-based, government, and other organizations. More...
Warning about drinking local brews
Newspapers in Australia and New Zealand carry reports of the death in Bali of rugby player from Perth and of severe brain and kidney damage in a New South Wales nurse on the island of Lombok both thought to be due to consumption of adulterated arak, a local drink made from fermented rice and palm sap. More...
World Rabies Day - Sep 2011
September 28, 2011 marks the fifth World Rabies Day. This annual campaign, led by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, brings the world together to raise awareness and understanding about the importance of rabies prevention. More...
Thailand issues final report on Chiang Mai deaths
Between 11th January and 19th February this year some 6 unexpected and mysterious deaths were recorded in the north Thailand city of Chiang Mai involving 5 tourists from New Zealand, Canada, USA, France and the United Kingdom and one Thai tour guide. More...
Requirements for Hajj unchanged
The Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia (MoH) has issued requirements for the Hajj season which this year is estimated to fall between 4th and 9th November. More...
Drug resistant flu in Australia
Increasingly over the past few months there have been reports of influenza A (including H1N1 "Swine flu") being resistant to oseltamavir (Tamiflu). More...
Measles unrelenting
There have been more cases of measles in Blacktown area of Sydney this year than in the whole of the past 8 years. More...
Mosquito borne disease in Europe
Possibly due to the effects of climate change as well as increased international travel, mosquitoes capable of transmitting virus diseases usually seen in tropical and sub-tropical areas have been become established in many European countries in addition to native mosquito species. More...
Yellow Fever and Australia
Having received a query on this subject following a national radio news item we wish to re-iterate the importance of Yellow Fever vaccination. More...
Hendra in the new world of viruses
The past two decades have seen the emergence of a number of new discoveries in the world of viruses, especially those conveyed from the one animal species to another such as the SARS agent. More...
Tetanus cases in USA
The Department of Community Health in the state of Michigan has reported that three people in southeast Michigan have been diagnosed with tetanus. More...
Hepatitis in Chennai, India
As published on this site 28th July was designated World Hepatitis Day by the World Health Organisation to emphasise the importance of this problem. More...
Vaccination for Yellow Fever for Zambia, and vaccine availability in South Africa
The Department of Health has, over the past few weeks received numerous concerns from members of the public especially travellers and travel agencies regarding Yellow Fever vaccination. More...
World Hepatitis Day
28 July 2011 - The first official WHO World Hepatitis Day is marked to increase the awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases that it causes. More...
Cholera threat in Ethiopia
A total of 5 million people are at risk of cholera in drought-hit Ethiopia, where acute watery diarrhea has broken out in crowded, unsanitary conditions, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday 15 Jul 2011. More...
Resurgent Measles Poses Worldwide Problem
Despite the availability of a very effective vaccine - the combined mumps-measles- rubella vaccine [MMR] – and widespread public health campaigns to achieve a high vaccination rate, measles continues to be reported in large outbreaks. More...
Update on E Coli outbreak in Europe
In Europe by 15th June, 821 HUS cases, including 24 deaths, and 2530 non-HUS cases, including 13 deaths, have been reported so far. It would appear that the rate of new cases has slowed and may be that the outbreak is coming under control. More...
World Health Organisation Statement
EHEC outbreak: Rare strain of E. coli unknown in previous outbreaks More...
South Africa Extends Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements
We have just received news from colleagues in South Africa that their Department of Health has chosen not to follow World Health Organisation new recommendations modifying International Health Certificate requirements. More...
Medical Tourism poses public health danger
Readers of the Age newspaper may have come across an article on this subject which refers to the danger of bringing a newly mutated bacterium into Australia from an overseas country. More...
Preventing death - Vaccinate against whooping cough – All ages
Despite publicity in all States about the resurgence of whooping cough (pertussis) and the need for vaccination new cases continue to be recorded. More...
Bali beach clean-up
In March we alerted travellers to problems with pollution of the beach at Kuta in Bali and that the problem had been quickly resolved. More...
Investigative journalists propose theory on Chiang Mai deaths
In an item posted in the New Zealand press the 60 Minutes team has put forward the theory that the mysterious deaths in Chiang Mai February and March this year were caused by over-zealous spraying of the organophosphorus insecticide chlorpyriphos used to control bedbugs. More...
Deaths from raw beef in Japan
There have been three deaths and many cases of diarrhoeal illness from eating the raw beef dish known as yukhoe purchased at branches of a yakiniku [grilled meat] barbecue restaurant chain. More...
Mystery illness in Chiang Mai?
An investigation by the Thailand Department for Disease Control has been underway for the last two months into reports of a series of illnesses in travellers to Chiang Mai. More...
Worldwide Measles Update
Despite widespread publicity for vaccination measles continues to pose a major problem both in developed and underdeveloped countries. More...
Bird flu Update
As of 14th March there have been 16 cases this year of human infection with the Avian Influenza Virus A H5N1 confirmed by the World Health Organisation. More...
Kokoda Track and over-hydration
An article published in the 7 March issue of the Medical Journal of Australia describes a case of collapse in a hiker on the Kokoda track caused by a very low level of sodium salt in the blood (hyponatraemia). More...
Fresh report on substandard Antimalarial drugs
A World Health Organisation survey released on 25th February revealed that nearly a third of antimalarial drugs available in Cameroon, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania were found to be substandard. More...
New Clinic in Adelaide
Our new state-of-the-art clinic in Adelaide is located at Level 1, Ground Floor, 53-67 Hindmarsh Square, ( beneath the Mantra), Adelaide, SA 5000 More...
Return of the Bedbug
In Customer Feedback reports on a popular UK travel website this month there have been thousands of references to bedbugs. More...
Zanzibar and Yellow Fever vaccination
Some alarm, particularly in Europe, has been caused by an announcement from health authorities in Zanzibar that all travellers arriving on the island... More...
Cholera following Dominican Banquet – small world
Venezuelans returning from a lavish wedding celebration in an exclusive Dominican resort have gone down with cholera-like symptoms sparking a minor panic in Caracas. More...
WHO reports on severe H1N1 influenza in UK
In their regular updating of influenza activity throughout the world the WHO reported on 14th January, in summary, that in the United Kingdom, severe and fatal cases are increased compared with 2 weeks ago, associated predominantly with influenza A (H1N1) 2009 and less commonly with influenza type B. More...
Flooding in Queensland
Despite the devastating impact of the floods currently affecting Brisbane, the Brisbane Travel Doctor-TMVC clinic is open for business. More...
Flu season in Europe
From early December the United Kingdom has been reporting an increasing number of influenza notifications including cases of H1N1 Swine flu. More...
Tennis star hospitalised with Altitude Sickness
Press agencies and news media carry reports that multiple Grand Slam tennis titleholder Martina Navratilova had to be hospitalised in Kenya after suffering High Altitude Pulmonary Edema More...
Compulsory Measles Vaccination in Andalusia, Spain
On 25th November the Administrative Litigation Court No. 5 of Granada authorized the compulsory vaccination of 35 children who had either not been vaccinated or not submitted a current child immunization card. More...
Cholera Updates Haiti and PNG
The outbreak of cholera in Haiti continues to spread, complicated by civic disturbances. More...
Sterile male mosquitoes released in Cayman Islands
British researchers from an Oxford based company are trialling the release of genetically engineered sterile male mosquitoes in the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean... More...
Uncooked sausages a No! No!
In a report published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases research workers in Marseilles, France, provide convincing evidence that unusual cases of jaundice caused by the Hepatitis E virus were transmitted by ingestion of “figatellu” sausages eaten raw. More...
HEALTHY ADULTS REQUIRED FOR A DENGUE VACCINE TRIAL in Melbourne
Did you know that Dengue is an important mosquito borne disease that kills many people in Asia, Africa and other parts of the developing world? More...
Update on Bird Flu
Although there have been reports from 14 countries of confirmed H5N1 infections in domestic or migratory birds to September 30 this year, only Egypt and Indonesia have reported human infections. More...
Vaccinations for the 2010 Hajj
The Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia has issued the requirements and recommendations for entry visas for the year 1431H (2010) Hajj and Umra seasons. More...
Worldwide Influenza update – H1N1 has not gone away
As of 10 Sep 2010, influenza activity is currently most intense in the temperate areas of the southern hemisphere and southern Asia. More...
Avian influenza in Egypt update
The Ministry of Health of Egypt has announced a new human case of A(H5N1) avian influenza infection. More...
West Nile Virus infection in Europe
There has been a significant increase in reports of cases of West Nile virus (WNV) in Northern Greece. More...
Sumatra Volcano causes health problems, interrupts air services
Many of the 30,000 people evacuated after the eruption of Mount Sinabung on the Indonesian island of Sumatra to government emergency centres need urgent medical care, aid workers say. More...
Dengue worldwide
In its latest update, the ProMED newsgroup, which is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, lists newspaper reports from 13 countries commenting on dengue outbreaks within the past two weeks. More...
Salsa and Guacomole? Think twice.
At an International Conference on emerging infectious diseases held earlier this month the USA Centers for Communicable Diseases told participants that the rate of food-borne illnesses has more than doubled... More...
Measles brought home from World Cup
A 24-year-old male in Darwin has been confirmed to have measles. More...
Cat Bites (Samantha) Fox – Rabies Reminder
Numerous media sources have run the story over the past few days that high-profile English model and TV star Samantha Fox was bitten by a cat while holidaying in Koh Samui, Thailand and is receiving anti-rabies treatment. More...
Who Can You Trust With Food
In a report published in USA Today and circulated through a newsletter to the travel industry, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspectors in the USA found... More...
Helping to green your destination
Increasingly in Australia we are “doing the right thing” for the environment. We recycle bottles, cans and paper, and we reduce our water and power usage. More...
Travel Doctor-TMVC clinics chosen to do Japanese encephalitis vaccine research in children June 2010
Travel Doctor-TMVC clinics in Melbourne and Brisbane have been selected to participate in a world-wide trial of a new Japanese Encephalitis vaccine in children. More...
Needle–free vaccination.
Vaccination by swallowing or sniffing or skin patching? At a World Expo's theme forum held in China’s Jiangsu Province in mid-June Barry J. Marshall, West Australia’s Nobel Laureate , said people might in the future be vaccinated by swallowing capsules instead of by using needles. More...
Unsafe beaches in Europe
Based on a report issued on 10 June 2010 by the European European Environment Agency a warning was issued by the European Commission that swimmers should avoid some 500 European beaches, lakes and rivers for health reasons. More...
Homestay in Malaysia
The Ministry of Tourism of Malaysia has launched a special program called Homestay e-Marketing Promotion, which promotes accommodation for travellers in the homes of local residents. More...
Yellow Fever vaccination requirements for World Cup travellers
There is no risk of yellow fever in South Africa as it is not in an endemic zone and yellow fever vaccination is not required not is it required for Zimbabwe or Zambia. More...
World Health Organisation Influenza Update
As of 9 May, worldwide more than 214 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 18036 deaths. More...
PNG Cholera Update
New cases of cholera have been reported in the National Capital District in coastal Motu-Koitabu villages to the west of Port Moresby. More...
Parasitic disease is possible Stroke Risk
There is increasing evidence that a South American infection called Chagas’ Disease is a separate risk factor for paralytic stroke. More...
Possible problem with flu vaccine and young children
Media reports today have announced a potential problem with this year’s seasonal influenza vaccine use in children below 5 years of age. More...
Travel Doctor-TMVC clinics chosen to do Japanese encephalitis vaccine research in children Apr 2010
Travel Doctor-TMVC clinics in Melbourne and Brisbane have been selected to participate in a world-wide trial of a new Japanese Encephalitis vaccine in children. More...
Pandemic (H1N1) Influenza update
The World Health Organisation reports that as of Sun 11 Apr 2010, worldwide more than 214 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 17 798 deaths. More...
Shipboard cruise “stomach upsets” can be spread on aircraft as well
Experts from the Centers for Disease Control in the USA in a report just published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases have confirmed that the norovirus, responsible for a number of outbreaks of vomiting and diarrhoea on cruise ships, can also be spread among airline passengers. More...
Dengue during dry seasons
Although the prevalence of the dengue carrying mosquito is generally thought to be increased “after the rains” the number of cases reported in the Indian state of Kerala this year indicate that there are other factors involved... More...
Get all the Important information, and Emergency Card for the World Cup
One of the largest international events of the 2010 sporting calendar will be the FIFA World Cup taking place in South Africa from 11 June -11 July 2010. More...
Cruise Ship held up by Gastro outbreak
Hundreds of passengers aboard an international cruise ship were stricken with vomiting and diarrhoea prompting a temporary quarantine of the vessel in southeastern Brazil early in March More...
Rabies active on Bali and spreading - 40th death
The Bali government announced the 40th recent human death from rabies on Bali. More...
Pandemic Flu world wide update mid February
As of 14 February 2010, worldwide more than 212 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 15921 deaths. More...
Encouraging results from TB Vaccine trial
In Tanzania the trial of a new vaccine against tuberculosis provides great hope that we may soon have an effective weapon against this scourge which is of grave concern world-wide against a background of malnutrition and HIV/AIDS and the emergence and spread of drug-resistant strains. More...
World Cup South Africa 2010
Excitement is growing as the time draws near for the Soccer World Cup in South Africa More...
Avian influenza situation - Indonesia
The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has announced a new case of human infection of H5N1 avian influenza. More...
Airport Body Scanners – a medical perspective
Full-body (aka Whole body) scanners have been introduced in certain USA and European airports as an updated security device and are scheduled to be introduced at international airports in Australia. More...
First Human Bird Flu case in 2010
A laboratory-confirmed human case of avian influenza (H5N1) virus infection has been reported from Penkabaru in Sumatra, Indonesia. More...
Prescription Drugs “over the counter”
One of our senior doctors has recounted the tale of a traveller in India who purchased “antimalarial drugs” over the counter for use as a preventive medication. More...
Access to sleeping sickness drugs
Sleeping sickness is a classical disease included in the risk basket of travellers in Africa. The risk is higher for those visiting National Parks or Game Reserves in particular in East and Southern Africa. More...
Prescription Drugs
One of our senior doctors has recounted the tale of a traveller in India who purchased “antimalarial drugs” over the counter for use as a preventive medication. More...
Pandemic Influenza end of year WHO update
As of 27 December 2009, worldwide more than 208 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 12220 deaths. More...
90th Human avian influenza case in Egypt
The Ministry of Health of Egypt has reported a new laboratory confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) on Sat 19 Dec 2009. More...
Pandemic vaccine is now approved for children
The current Pandemic H1N1 2009 vaccine, Panvax, for the latest pandemic influenza strain has been approved by our TGA for use in children, from 6 months of age. More...
Avian Influenza 2009 Update
Country-by-country detailed update is available in the Avian Flu Destination Risk Status section on the Fluthreat website: www.fluthreat.com.au More...
World Health Organisation Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 76
27 November 2009 -- As of 22 November 2009, worldwide more than 207 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 7820 deaths. More...
Cruise Ship Cleanliness
Researchers from the Carney Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, the Cambridge Health Alliance and Tufts University School of Medicine in a study published in the Clinical Infectious Disease journal found that only 37 percent of 273 randomly selected public restrooms on cruise ships (that were checked on 1,546 occasions) were cleaned at least daily. More...
Pandemic Flu Plus Dengue Dual Infections
To date the World Health Organization has reported several cases of patients afflicted with co-infections of H1N1 influenza and dengue fever. More...
Travel Doctor-TMVC clinics chosen to do Japanese encephalitis vaccine research in children
Travel Doctor-TMVC clinics in Melbourne and Brisbane have been selected to participate in a world-wide trail of the new Japanese Encephalitis vaccine in children. More...
Influenza vaccine for 2010
It has been agreed by Australia’s regulatory bodies that the Southern Hemisphere influenza vaccine for 2010 will contain the following strains. More...
Pandemic quarantine measures in Egypt
Travellers to Egypt need to be alert to the fact that thermal imaging equipment has been installed at Sharm el Sheikh International airport and that quarantine measures are being enforced. More...
Airport security checks may include Swine Flu check
Airports in the USA are already posting signs warning passengers about the H1N1 flu, and asking them to stay home if they think they are sick. More...
Cholera and Climate Change
The periodic flow of warm sea water across the surface of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, called El Niño, leads to higher atmospheric temperatures and heavy rains. More...
Hepatitis A in Australia
Victoria's chief health officer John Carnie issued a warning on Friday evening [9 Oct 2009] advising people to avoid eating semi-dried tomatoes unless they are thoroughly cooked. More...
Pandemic Update
As of 20 September 2009, there have been more than 300,000 laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1, 3917 deaths, in 191 countries and territories reported to WHO. More...
WHO Recommends composition for 2010 Southern Hemisphere Influenza Vaccine- includes pandemic strain
The WHO expert committee on influenza has made the recommendation to include the new pandemic influenza strain in next year’s seasonal vaccine. More...
Rabies Awareness – World rabies Day
28th September has been designated World Rabies Day to draw attention to the facts that more than 50,000 people die from rabies every year, and that rabies is a vaccine preventable disease. More...
Pandemic Influenza (H1N1 2009) vaccine to be available in Travel Doctor clinics from Wednesday 30th
The new vaccine being distributed by the Departments of Health is available from Wednesday 30th September. More...
Hepatitis A immunisation for adoptee contacts
Data from a study conducted at three adoption clinics in the United States, each screening 100--200 incoming adoptees for hepatitis A each year, indicate that 1%--6% of newly arrived international adoptees are acutely infected with Hepatitis A virus. More...
Swine flu contagious longer than thought
When the coughing stops is probably a better sign of when a swine flu patient is no longer contagious, experts said after seeing new research that suggests the virus can still spread many days after a fever goes away. More...
Bolivian Banks Ban Face Masks
Sept 15, 2009 (AFP) - Bolivian banks have banned customers from wearing masks on their premises, in a bid to curb an epidemic of robberies by people taking advantage of swine flu fears to hide their faces. More...
Pandemic flu current world situation
In the latest weekly update the World Health Organisation reports that in the temperate region of the southern hemisphere (represented by countries such as Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa), influenza activity continues to decrease or return to baseline. More...
H1N1 Vaccine Update: One Dose May Be Sufficient for Most Groups
Preliminary studies of two vaccines against 2009 H1N1 virus have been published online this week in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine. More...
Business executive travel Survey
Tourism Tidbits provides a busy travel professional with a glimpse into how corporate travellers view travel security. More...
WHO Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 briefing note 8- Recommended use of antivirals
On 21 AUGUST 2009 WHO issuied guidelines for the use of antivirals in the management of patients infected with the H1N1 pandemic virus. More...
French Polynesia has high swine flu rate
With a total population of some 260,000 the islands of French Polynesia which includes Tahiti have reported 10,000 people affected by swine flu and so far there have been 3 deaths according to a rport by Agence France Presse More...
Egypt enforces ban on Hajj pilgrims
On Monday 17th August Egypt prevented dozens of pilgrims over the age of 65 or under 25 from travelling to Mecca as part of measures to prevent the spread of swine flu... More...
Counterfeit Tamiflu purchased over the internet
There are media reports of concerns about the purchase of fake Tamiflu over the internet. More...
Pandemic influenza WHO update
In a statement published on August 11th the World Health Organisation said that the Pandemic Influenza A H1N1 virus has caused a total of 1,462 deaths worldwide since it was first detected in April. More...
Tamiflu resistance - Pandemic H1 N1 influenza Global update
Health officials raised the alarm about a strain of swine flu that is resistant to the Tamiflu treatment... More...
Pandemic influenza in pregnant women
Research conducted in the USA has drawn attention to an increased risk of severe or fatal illness in pregnant women when infected with the H1N1 pandemic virus... More...
Preliminary information important for understanding evolving situation - Pandemic (H1N1)
The number of human cases of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 is still increasing substantially in many countries, even in countries that have already been affected for some time... More...
Northern hemisphere Seasonal Influenza Virus Vaccine for 2009-2010 available
Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group, announced today that it has shipped the first doses of the 2009-2010 formulation of Fluzone((R)), Influenza Virus Vaccine... More...
Arab countries to exclude elderly and children from pilgrimage
Arab health ministers, in a special session of the Regional Committee for World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office on pandemic H1N1 held in Cairo on Wednesday 22 July, agreed to exclude certain groups from Muslim pilgrimage in a bid to curb the spread of A/H1N1 flu... More...
Notification of updating Australia's official Yellow Fever vaccination requirements
On 1 August 2009 Australia’s yellow fever Vaccination requirements will change... More...
WHO recommendations on pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccines
On Tue 7 Jul 2009, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization held an extraordinary meeting in Geneva to discuss issues and make recommendations related to vaccine for the pandemic (H1N1) 2009... More...
Travel Doctor-TMVC clinics now part of the global GeoSentinel project
Travel Doctor clinics have joined Australia’s only GeoSentinel project in Melbourne as “satellite locations”... More...
Possibility of a new rabies vaccine
A rabies vaccine that reverses the disease in mice after just one injection may pave the way to cheap, effective prevention of the fatal illness... More...
Tamiflu resistance emerges
The first report of pandemic H1N1 2009 virus resistance to oseltamivir (Tamiflu) came from Denmark last week followed by another report from Japan... More...
New drug being tested in Africa for river blindness
A clinical trial is being launched in three African countries of a drug that could eliminate onchocerciasis, or river blindness, one of the leading infectious causes of blindness across Africa... More...
US changes its recommendations for vaccines after a possible rabies exposure in the US
The US Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practice (ACIP) has announced a change to the recommended treatment for a person who has had a possible exposure to rabies virus, usually by dog or bat bite or scratch, in the US... More...
Australia moving to new "Protect" phase of pandemic alert
On 17 June 2009, the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, after consultation with State and Territory governments, announced that Australia has developed a new response phase to manage the outbreak of H1N1 Influenza 09 (Human Swine Influenza) called PROTECT... More...
Safety of Anti-flu drugs in pregnancy
We know from past experience that seasonal influenza (”ordinary flu”) can be worse in pregnant women... More...
World Health Organisation - Influenza Alert Raised
The Director General of the World Health Organisation on 11 June raised the level of influenza alert from Phase 5 to Phase 6. This announcement has been expected given the large number of countries involved and the clear evidence of local transmission of the virus within countries. More...
Influenza A (H1N1) - update
73 countries have officially reported 25,288 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 139 deaths... More...
Influenza A (H1N1) - Upgraded Response in Victoria
The Australian Health Protection Committee (AHPC) and the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Jim Bishop, have advised that it is appropriate to raise the pandemic response to a modified SUSTAIN response for Victoria... More...
Influenza A (H1N1) update
As of 06:00 GMT, 1 June 2009, 63 countries have officially reported 17 410 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 115 deaths. More...
Influenza A(H1N1) Update
According to the latest reports the following countries have had the highest number of H1N1 notifications: USA, Mexico, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, Panama, Chile. More...
Influenza H1N1 -update
The total of confirmed human swine influenza cases in Australia as at 1800 AEST 29 May is 168. More...
Influenza H1N1 update
There has been one (1) new confirmed cases of H1N1 Influenza 09 (Human Swine Influenza) in Australia since last night... More...
Influenza H1N1 - update
As of 06:00 GMT, 27 May 2009, 48 countries have officially reported 13,398 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 95 deaths. More...
Update Influenza H1N1
As of 06:00 GMT, 24 May 2009, 46 countries have officially reported 12,515 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection, including 91deaths... More...
H1N1 update
As of 06:00 GMT, 23 May 2009, 43 countries have officially reported 12,022 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 86 deaths... More...
Clinical Picture of “Swine Flu”
From reports from countries which so far have had the greatest number of cases of Influenza A(H1N1) infections the World Health Organisation has published a summary of the findings... More...
Swine Flu Count in Victoria reaches 6 while South Australia reports first case
Victorian health authorities have announced that two more cases of human swine flu in Victoria have been detected... More...
Surveillance of Human Swine Flu Cases in California
Initial surveillance for hospitalized cases of novel influenza A (H1N1) infection in California indicates that the majority of patients were discharged after short hospital stays... More...
Four new cases of Swine Flu have been confirmed in Australia
The Victorian Department of Human Services reports that 2 siblings (aged 10 & 12) of the 9 year old Melbourne boy who was yesterday reported as having returned a positive test, have also been confirmed as having Human Swine Influenza... More...
Influenza A(H1N1) cases in Australia
Media reports state that Australia now has three confirmed cases of swine flu, after new cases were reported in Victoria and New South Wales. More...
Influenza A(H1N1) cases in Japan
Japan reported 178 swine flu infections Tuesday [ official WHO figure 159] and closed more than 4,400 schools, colleges and kindergartens for the rest of the week to slow the spread of the virus, officials said. More...
Influenza A (H1N1)
As of 06:00 GMT, 18 May 2009, 40 countries have officially reported 8829 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 74 deaths. More...
Influenza A(H1N1) - WHO update 31
As of 06:00 GMT, 17 May 2009, 39 countries have officially reported 8480 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection. More...
Influenza A(H1N1) – WHO update 28
As of 06:00 GMT, 14 May 2009, 33 countries have officially reported 6497 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection. More...
Dengue Fever Worldwide update and reminder
While attention in the country turns to the dangers of swine flu an old and known disease continues to claim victims in many tropical and sub-tropical countries, namely dengue. More...
New Influenza outbreak- picture becoming clearer
The recent emergence of a new influenza A (H1N1) virus has caused great concern for public health authorities and in many communities around the globe... More...
Influenza A (H1N1) WHO Update 25
As of 06:00 GMT, 11 May 2009, 30 countries have officially reported 4694 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection... More...
Influenza A(H1N1) - WHO update 24
As of 07:30 GMT, 10 May 2009, 29 countries have officially reported 4379 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection... More...
First Australian swine flu tested positive
The first Australian to test positive for swine flu has been identified in Queensland, but she is no longer infectious... More...
Influenza A(H1N1) - WHO update 23
As of 06:00 GMT, 9 May 2009, 29 countries have officially reported 3440 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection. More...
Influenza A(H1N1) - WHO update 22
As of 16:00 GMT, 8 May 2009, 25 countries have officially reported 2500 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection. More...
Influenza A(H1N1) – WHO update 20
As of 18:00 GMT, 7 May 2009, 24 countries have officially reported 2371 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection. Mexico has reported 1112 laboratory confirmed... More...
Influenza A(H1N1) - WHO update 18
As of 16:00 GMT, 6 May 2009, 23 countries have officially reported 1893 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection. Mexico has reported 942 laboratory confirmed... More...
Another measles alert in WA
Two passengers on board an Emirates flight from Dubai to Perth last week have been found to be suffering from measles. The health department is actively tracing possible contacts. More...
Influenza A(H1N1) - WHO update 14
As of 18:00 GMT, 4 May 2009, 21 countries have officially reported 1085 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection. Mexico has reported 590 laboratory... More...
Influenza A(H1N1) - WHO update 10: Sat May 2nd
The situation continues to evolve. As of 18:00 GMT+1, 2 May 2009, 16 countries have officially reported 658 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection. More...
The origin of the recent swine influenza A(H1N1) virus infecting humans
Preliminary analysis of the genome of the new H1N1 influenza A virus responsible for the current pandemic indicates that all genetic segments are related closest to those of common swine influenza viruses. More...
7 Countries Have Confirmed Cases of Swine Flu
A total of 2 new swine flu cases were confirmed in Israel and as many as 11 in New Zealand, bringing the number of countries with confirmed cases to at least 7 on Tuesday [29 Apr 2009]. But all, with the exception of Mexico More...
WHO raises Pandemic alert Level from 4 to 5
Based on assessment of all available information and following several expert consultations, Dr Margaret Chan, WHO's Director-General raised the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to 5 More...
Swine Flu Update
As the threat from Swine flu evolves, WHO has increased the level of concern by declaring the current phase of preparedness at stage 4. This means the virus has the ability to cause infections in whole communities, and has the potential therefore to cause a pandemic. WHO do not recommend travel restrictions More...
Influenza-like illness in the United States and Mexico
WHO- 24 April 2009 -- The United States Government has reported seven confirmed human cases of Swine Influenza A/H1N1 in the USA (five in California and two in Texas) and nine suspect cases. All seven confirmed cases had mild Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), with only one requiring brief hospitalization. No deaths have been reported. More...
New Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine available - April 2009
The new vaccine is now available in Travel Doctor-TMVC clinics around Australia. More...
Latest from HSA's Pulse magazine
• Implementing successful drug & alcohol plans
• Travel News: The Scouts got it right - be prepared
• HSA expands network
More...
HSA merger to transform Medibank Private
Medibank Private and Health Services Australia (HSA) formally merged on 1 April 2009 More...
Australian authorities approve flu pandemic vaccine
Australian health authorities have approved Sanofi Pasteur's influenza vaccine for use in the event of a pandemic... More...
Indian officials act on contaminated equipment
After an outbreak of hepatitis B in Gujarat state that reportedly killed at least 70 people and left about 240 others infected with the virus officials have seized hundreds of tons of recycled medical equipment and arrested more than 100 medical scrap dealers and 22 doctors over the past week... More...
Swiss authorities contemplate compulsory measles vaccination.
A conference of Cantonal Health Directors (cantons are responsible for outbreak control measures) recommended health authorities study and "seriously consider" mandatory vaccination against measles if current methods did not stop the disease spreading... More...
Peanut butter recalls USA
The Food and Drug Administration in the USA has issued a list of peanut butter products that might be affected by Salmonella contamination. More...
Japanese Encephalitis risks in Nepal
In the light of extensive surveillance throughout the country since 2004 the World Health Organisation’s office in Kathmandu has issued an updated recommendation concerning immunisation against Japanese Encephalitis (JE). More...
New Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine Available
JESPECT, a vaccine prepared from inactivated Japanese Encephalitis (JE) virus, has been approved by the Australian Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) and is marketed here by Commonwealth Serum Laboratories. More...
Australia Helps Fund Bali Rabies Battle
Since the confirmation in December that four people had died in the previous month from rabies on Bali public health authorities have carried out mass vaccinations of dogs. More...
Poliomyelitis Global Situation January 2009
The first new case of poliomyelitis in 2009 has been reported from Pakistan in the Sahiwal district of Punjab province, with six other cases under investigation. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has confirmed 118 cases during 2008 in all four provinces of the country compared with 32 cases in 2007, 40 in 2006 and 28 in 2005. More...
Dangerous Jellyfish not confined to Queensland.
Australians will be familiar with the warning signs on North Queensland beaches about box jellyfish... More...
Urgent - New requirements for Australian visitors to the USA
Applicable from January 12, the Visa Waiver requirements for Australian passport-holders entering the United States will be changed... More...
Travelling with medications
The Minister for Human services has issued a press release reminding travelers overseas that drugs subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) can only be aen out of the country if they are strictly for personal use. More...
Possible Rabies on Bali - Update
The reports of rabies cases on Bali, have been accepted by the public health authorities as being correct, it appears that laboratory confirmation has been done in Indonesia. More...
Malaria increase in tourists to Gambia
An increase in the number of cases of malaria among returning travellers from the West African state of Gambia has been noted by the surveillance groups TropNetEurop and GeoSentinel over the past month with a total of 39 cases including 2 fatalities and several patients in intensive care and on ventilators. More...
Smartraveller Consultative Group Meeting on Indonesia
A meeting of the Smartraveller Consultative Group (SCG) was convened by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on 12 November. More...
Safe Himalayan Trekking – a Reminder
With an improvement in the political situation Nepal is beginning to see a welcome increase in the number of tourists. October and November offer the best weather conditions for trekking and climbing in the Himalayas but the French Embassy in Kathmandu has expressed concern at the fact that six fatalities have been reported since the end of September, More...
Travel implications of resurgent whooping cough
According to an item on ABC News Online the number of cases of whooping cough (pertussis)in New South Wales has increased from 2000 last year to 3800 so far this year. This may represent a low immunisation rate in particular areas but it is not a problem confined to one state. More...
Vaccine recommended for smokers
We have recently drawn attention to the possible protection given by the pneumococcal vaccine against the risk of heart attack... More...
Mumps increasing in Australia
Publishing in the Medical Journal of Australia, Prof Peter McIntyre, director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases in Sydney draws attention to the fact that both reported infections with mumps (a notifiable disease) and hospitalisations because of the disease had jumped in Australia in recent years... More...
Pneumonia vaccination may reduce heart attack risk
Risks for the development of heart attack are well known – family history, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, high blood cholesterol. In days gone by an attack of pneumonia was regarded as predisposing to later heart disease and this risk factor has largely been forgotten... More...
An unlikely but possible blessing from bedbugs
Researchers at the University of Sheffield in the UK have reported to a conference of the Royal Entomological Society on a unique “immune” organ in female bedbugs which may yield some answers in the understanding of biological defense reponses. More...
World Rabies Day
September 28, 2008 has been designated as WORLD RABIES DAY. More...
Melamine-contaminated powdered infant formula in China
Over 6240 cases of kidney stones in infants with three deaths have been reported from across China as of 17 September. Kidney stones in infants are very rare. More...
Let the buyer beware A warning from Hong
Standard medications and even prescription drugs are widely available, and often cheaper, from unlicensed (and even from some licensed) purveyors in many overseas destinations, and also via the Internet. However, time and again we have reports of sub-standard drugs being purchased by travellers and the World Health Organisation has repeatedly warned about the trade in counterfeit drugs. More...
Is First World Food Hygiene always First Class?
When visiting “Western” countries like in Europe and Nth America, can we just assume that all food is safe to eat? Quite simply the answer is ‘No, not always.’ More...
Kokoda trail is not a walk in the park
Following the track of the World War II Australian armed forces across the Owen Stanley ranges in Papua New Guinea has become a popular adventure. There are a variety of tours organized by a variety of agents and most – but not all - of the organisers arrange for some form of preparatory instruction on risks and precautions. More...
AIDS infection linked to parasites
In an article published by the Public Library Of Science journal researchers have shown that experimental animals infected with the schistosomiasis parasite have a very much greater chance – 17 times greater than animals without the parasite - of being infected if subsequently exposed to the HIV/AIDS virus. More...
Australians travelling to the Olympics- Health Preparation
There will be many Australians lucky enough to attend this year’s Olympic Games in Beijing, and many of them will also travel to other parts of China. Getting prepared properly means thinking about your health, and a visit to your nearest Travel Doctor-TMVC clinic will be more than worthwhile. More...
Olympics visitors must “Beware of the Dog”
Exotic diseases are unlikely for visitors to China for the Olympic Games. A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the USA and the GeoSentinel Surveillance Network finds that during the past 10 years dog bites were one of the more common health problems travellers face when visiting China. More...
New Travel Doctor-TMVC Clinic in Bangkok, Thailand
We are very, very pleased to introduce a newly associated clinic in central Bangkok who has joined our network, The Global Doctor Clinic. All your travel health needs can be obtained at Global Doctor clinic in central Bangkok. More...
Airline Air is Clean – Australian study
Direct and indirect studies over the years in Europe and America have shown that spread of infection through recirculated air in commercial airliners does not occur, provided filtration systems are working properly. More...
Barrier Reef creatures may yield malaria drug
The Geneva-based Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) has named an Australian drug discovery project using marine invertebrates from the Barrier Reef as its 2007 Project of the Year More...
Counterfeit or ineffective anti malarial drugs
This site has previously reported on the prevalence of counterfeit or sub-standard antimalarial drugs on the world market. The problem continues despite the well-intentioned attempts of various governmental regulatory bodies. More...
Influenza Mythbusters
The Influenza Specialist Group (ISG) consists of medical and scientific specialists as well as professional and patient groups from around the country. It cooperates with state and federal governments in educational activities about influenza and in conjunction with other organisations runs the annual Influenza Awareness Program. More...
Hazards of swimming or wading – a reminder.
Lurking in fresh water streams and lakes, and in floodplains, there are health hazards from microscopic organisms. More...
Vaccination through the nose?
A report from a team at the Japanese Institute of Infectious Diseases now indicates that a technique of administering a vaccine by nasal spray is at an advanced stage of development. More...
Tuberculosis exposure and travel
Tuberculosis, the world-wide scourge of the Victorian age and early 20th century, has been reduced to a very low prevalence in many countries including Australia and New Zealand and in recent years it has come to be regarded as posing a negligible risk for tourists elsewhere. More...
Measles and Soccer
This year’s UEFA European Soccer Championship will be held in Switzerland. Health authorities there have issued a warning of increased risk of measles among the huge number of foreign visitors expected. From November 2006 to February 13, 2008, a total of 1,405 cases of measles were registered in Switzerland, including 1,106 cases in 2007 alone More...
Chikungunya fever and potential for Australian outbreak.
Chikungunya fever, first described in East Africa, is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. It is characterised by symptoms very similar to those of dengue fever and laboratory testing may be necessary to distinguish between the two. More...
Novel ways to vaccinate
Drops under the tongue may be the way that vaccines are administered in the future according to research done at the University of Seoul in South Korea. We have known for many years that some drugs can be administered as drops or a spray under the tongue More...
Measles Vaccination Not Associated with Autism confirmed
A study, published in Archives of Disease in Childhood online this month , examined children aged 10 to 12 years who had previously received the Mumps/Measles/Rubella vaccine. More...
Meningits Epidemic Warning
Expert health forecasters have warned that an epidemic of meningococcal meningitis in the so-called “meningitis belt” in sub-Saharan Africa could be the worst in a decade. More...
Travel Doctor-TMVC opens a new clinic in Brisbane CBD.
To better service our patients, the Travel Doctor-TMVC has opened a brand new clinic in the Brisbane CBD. This state-of-the art specialist travel medicine clinic opened for business on Monday 23rd October and is located at 75a Astor Terrace, Spring Hill, which is right next door to the Novotel. It is easily accessible by public transport as well as having ample parking nearby. To contact the new Brisbane Travel Doctor-TMVC clinic, or to make an appointment phone (07) 3815 6900. More...
