TASHA Nabila’s 18th birthday was definitely a memorable one — for all the wrong reasons.
The Sydneysider wound up spending the milestone in an Indonesian hospital after contracting both typhoid and dengue fever — at the same time.
She endured multiple blood transfusions and horrendous symptoms during her 15-day hospital stay, and it was all because she wasn’t aware of the risks to her health while overseas.
“I was expecting months of sunshine, shopping and side-of-the-road food carts,” Ms Nabila said of her holiday hell.
“I definitely didn’t expect to spend my 18th birthday in a hospital room with a drip in my arm.”
Ms Nabila admits to having been blasé about her health, including not visiting her doctor before embarking on the trip, and failing to take precautions with food and water and avoiding mosquito bites.
She also mistakenly believed that because she had grown up in Indonesia, she would still be naturally immune to the diseases there.
They are all easy mistakes to make when you’re out having fun, especially when you’re young and haven’t had much travel experience. But the consequences can be devastating.
“My mum had suggested organising a pre-travel health consultation with my GP before I left, but I was the typical headstrong teenager and thought I was invincible. I also lived in Indonesia until I was seven and so considered myself a native; immune to whatever unfortunate diseases struck down all the foreigners that visited my country of birth.
“The first month went by without a hitch. Aside from the horrendous traffic, I was having the time of my life. I had eaten everything and everywhere: from the modern-Indonesian fusion dishes in the most upscale restaurants, to the nasi goreng from the street kiosks. No sweat.”
But it wasn’t long before it all took a turn for the worst.
“Until one day, when I found myself in a pool of sweat and a fever so high you could have melted ice on my forehead. My body had betrayed me, and it was just my cousin Mira and I in a mountainside house, a long road journey in crazy traffic away from medical help.
“A flurry of symptoms followed; red spots across the front of my body, an intense migraine, body aches and vomiting. I thought I was dying!”
Her cousin, who happened to be a doctor, took her to get help.
“A blood test quickly revealed that I had indeed contracted both typhoid and dengue fever and was immediately admitted to a local hospital.
“I must have contracted typhoid from contaminated food or water — something I didn’t ever stop to think about before a meal. Typhoid is common in Indonesia and my best bet would have been to get vaccinated (something I made sure to do before my next trip). Although there’s no vaccine available for dengue fever yet, I didn’t take any of the precautions to avoid mosquito bites such as using repellent or sleeping under nets.
“The result was that I rang in my 18th birthday in true style; wearing a hospital gown accessorised with a drip in my arm.”
Her mother jumped on a flight from Sydney to be by her side in hospital.
“Needles became a daily ritual, and I was often stabbed repeatedly because of my almost invisible veins. There were blood transfusions, horrendous hospital food, bed pans and traumatic experiences with suppositories that an 18-year-old can never forget!”
But even once she was discharged, all was not right.
“The nightmare didn’t end when I left the hospital. I waited out the last three weeks of my graduation trip almost exclusively indoors, my once-happy holiday memories now tainted by the experience of getting so sick. It took me weeks to properly recover, by which stage my holidays were well and truly over and I was about to start my first semester of university.
“The horrible experience of turning 18 in a hospital taught me some very valuable lessons though — I now know my blood type, you will always want your mum when you’re sick no matter how old you are, travel insurance is fundamental and most importantly of all — always see your GP or travel doctor for travel health advice and get vaccinated before travelling, ‘native’ or not.”
TRAVEL HEALTH MYTHS DEBUNKED
Ms Nabila’s story is one that highlights some popular travel misconceptions, especially around food-and-water-borne diseases, and mosquito bite prevention. We spoke to Dr Eddy Barjovic, Medical Director of Travelvax Australia, to shed light on 10 of the most common travel myths.
1. Myth: I’ll be safe from contaminated foods if I’m staying in five-star accommodation and eating in five-star restaurants
Truth: “Whether you’re staying at a luxury resort or backpacking your way through Bali, bacteria and viruses don’t discriminate. It only takes one person with poor hygiene to handle your food or beverage to contaminate it.
“Traveller’s diarrhoea, salmonella, hepatitis A and typhoid are just some of the infections that can be picked up from contaminated food or drink. Always choose food that is piping hot, and avoid fresh fruit and vegetables that you can’t peel (i.e. lettuce that could have been washed with contaminated tap water).”
2. Myth: I was born overseas so I’ve built up a natural immunity to travel-related diseases in that region
Truth: “People often incorrectly believe that if they were born and raised in a high-risk region, they maintain a natural immunity. Unfortunately, this isn’t true. People may acquire natural immunity by living in a place and being constantly exposed to the diseases that are present there.
“However, when they emigrate they lose immunity to the common diseases of their country of birth.”
3. Myth: Tap water is fine to brush your teeth with, you just can’t swallow the water
Truth: “Even if you don’t swallow the tap water, you can ingest the contaminated water while you’re brushing your teeth and potentially contract diseases like hepatitis A and typhoid. Always use bottled water to brush your teeth — it’s not worth the risk.”
4. Myth: Antiseptic hand gels can replace handwashing with soap and water
Truth: “Washing your hands with soap and water is always first choice — particularly if you have visible dirt on your hands. Sanitiser, while great in the absence of soap and water, can’t cut through the grime.”
5. Myth: If I get sick overseas it will only affect me
Truth:“There have been reported cases of Australians contracting hepatitis A from their housemates who have returned from travelling in high-risk regions. Without the recommended vaccines you’re not only putting yourself at risk of contracting diseases, you’re putting others at risk when you return home.”
6. Myth: I can only get rabies if I’m bitten by a street dog
Truth: “Rabies is spread from any infected animal to human, via bites or scratches. Although dogs are by far the greatest cause of human rabies, any mammal with teeth and claws can transmit rabies, and that includes bats as well as cats, monkeys, skunks and raccoons.
“Children are at higher risk than adults because they are more likely to want to play with animals, and these animals may be infected with the disease. The best way to prevent rabies is to avoid direct contact with animals when travelling in areas where rabies may be present. Australians travelling to an area where rabies is present are advised to visit their GP or travel health doctor 6-8 weeks before travelling.”
7. Myth: I had all my immunisations as a child so I’m still covered
Truth:“The duration of immunity following vaccinations is not certain. Half of Aussies travelling to an at-risk destination did not get vaccinated before their last trip, and a quarter of them fell sick on their holiday. Aussie travellers should see their GP or travel health doctor 6-8 weeks before departure to ensure their holiday isn’t spent in the bathroom or hospital.”
8. Myth: If I avoid meat, and only eat fruit and vegetables, I won’t get sick
Truth: “Consuming fresh fruit and vegetables that have been exposed to contaminated water can put you at risk of contracting travel-related disease such as typhoid and hepatitis A. Always avoid undercooked meat and animal products, as well as fruit and vegetables you can’t peel. Stick with fruit like bananas and oranges you can peel.”
9. Myth: Local tap water is fine if it’s frozen as the cold kills the bacteria
Truth: “Freezing water does not rid the water of diseases or bacteria which is why Aussies travelling to at-risk regions should avoid all drinks with ice in it. Ice can also be made using unfiltered, contaminated water. Nearly half of Australians travelling to at-risk countries drank a beverage with ice in it — this is a risky behaviour and could result in your trip being cut short due to illness.”
10. Myth: I only need to get vaccinations if I’m going really rural like a jungle or rainforest
Truth: “61 per cent of all Australian travellers, that’s 10.7 million Australians, visited an at-risk region in the last five years. Aussies are as at-risk of contracting travel-related illnesses in big cities as they are in rural areas.
“It doesn’t matter where you are in a country, if it’s a high-risk region you’re at-risk everywhere and should see your GP or travel health doctor for pre-travel advice before departure.”
For 12 years, film maker Leonard Retel Helmrich followed an Indonesian family from the slums of Jakarta revealing the underlying patterns of life there, both literally and metaphorically.
0 nhận xét:
Đăng nhận xét