World Trade Organization Launches Traveler Guide to Fight Disease

[Guest guest]

Posted on Tue, Feb. 19, 2002

WTO Launches Traveler Guide to Fight Disease

LONDON - (Reuters) - The World Trade Organization on Tuesday launched a

beefed-up version of its annual travel and health guide to help

globe-trotters avoid bringing home anything nastier than a sunburn.

``Disease has no borders,'' WTO director Heymann said. ''I can be in

London today and Kinshasa tomorrow. And I can take any disease there or

bring any disease back with me.''

The International Travel and Health book aims to be the ''gold standard''

health bible for millions of long-haul business and leisure travelers around

the world.

Accidents, stomach bugs, colds and sexually-transmitted diseases rank high

as the greatest threats to international travelers, communicable diseases

consultant Gil Lea told Reuters.

Road and drowning accidents are responsible for most travelers' deaths, but

number one on the WTO's hit-list of diseases is malaria.

``Malaria remains the single biggest disease threat to international

travelers,'' guide author Dr. ez said. ``And there is still

confusion about which tablets to take or how long to take them for.''

16 people died of malaria in Britain in 2000, Lea said. And several

incidents of airport malaria -- where an insect gets into a plane and

infects someone at the other end -- have occurred in otherwise malaria-free

countries, including, France and Belgium.

With Africa at the top of many traveler's wish-lists this year, getting

information to people about the existence of last-minute prevention was

paramount, ez said.

The guide also includes a new chapter on air travel following last year's

furor over its link with deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Preventative measures, such as pressure stockings, are discussed but DVT

specialist Dr. Toff warned that other defenses such as aspirin may

be causing more harm than good.

The WTO hopes the guide will cover the needs of most travelers -- although

it does not cover refugee and migrant populations who have their own guide,

Heymann said.