Diseases Related to Travel

Information for travelers about specific diseases which can affect them while traveling. Note: For travel recommendations by specific regions, please see Destinations.

African sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis) AIDS/HIV Altitude illness Amebiasis BSE ("mad cow disease") and nvCJD Campylobacter infections Chagas’ disease (American trypanosomiasis) Chickenpox (Varicella) Chikungunya fever Cholera Coccidioidomycosis Cryptosporidiosis (Cryptosporidium infection) Cyclosporiasis (Cyclospora infection) Dengue fever Diarrhea Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis E. coli (Escherichia coli) Encephalitis Filariasis Giardiasis (Giardia infection) Hantavirus Head lice (pediculosis) Hepatitis Histoplasmosis HIV (see AIDS/HIV) Influenza (flu) Japanese encephalitis Legionellosis Leishmaniasis (Leishmania infection)

Leptospirosis Lyme disease Malaria Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) Meningitis Norovirus infection (Norwalk/Norwalk-like virus infection) Onchocerciasis (river blindness) Plague Poliomyelitis Rabies Rickettsial Infections Rotavirus Salmonellosis (Salmonella infection) SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) Scabies Schistosomiasis Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) Shigellosis (Shigella infection) Smallpox Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pneumococcal) Disease Tickborne encephalitis Tuberculosis (TB) Typhoid fever Typhus fevers (see rickettsial infections) Varicella (chickenpox) Vibrio parahaemolyticus Viral hemorrhagic fevers (e.g., Ebola, Lassa, Marburg, Rift Valley) West Nile virus Yellow fever

African sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis)

• African Trypanosomiasis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• African trypanosomiasis (from Division of Parasitic Diseases)

AIDS/HIV

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (from Health Information for International Travel)
• The Immunocompromised Traveler
• Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention homepage

Altitude illness

• Altitude Illness (from Health Information for International Travel)

Amebiasis

• Amebiasis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• New Medication Approved for Treatment of Giardiasis and Amebiasis (Archived Highlight, originally released August 26, 2004)
• Safe Food and Water
• Amebiasis (from Division of Parasitic Diseases)

BSE ("mad cow disease") and nvCJD

• Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (from Health Information for International Travel)
• BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or Mad Cow Disease)
• vCJD (Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease)

Campylobacter infections

• Campylobacter Infections (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)

Chagas’ disease (American trypanosomiasis)

• Chagas’ Disease (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Chagas’ disease (from Division of Parasitic Diseases)

Chickenpox (Varicella)

• Varicella (Chickenpox) (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Varicella Disease (Chickenpox) (from National Immunization Program)

Chikungunya Fever

• Chikungunya Fever (from Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases)
• Chikungunya Fever Fact Sheet (from Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases)
• MMWR: Update: Chikungunya Fever Diagnosed Among International Travelers --- United States, 2006
• Chikungunya fever in travelers: clinical presentation and course. (from Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2007)
• Chikungunya Virus in US Travelers Returning from India, 2006 (from Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2007)

Cholera

• Cholera (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Cholera (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)
  - Spanish fact sheet —Prevención del Cólera
  - Portuguese fact sheet—Preven?227;o da Cólera
• Technical Information on Cholera
• Safe Food and Water

Coccidioidomycosis

• Coccidioidomycosis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Coccidioidomycosis (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)

Cryptosporidiosis (Cryptosporidium infection)

• Cryptosporidiosis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Safe Food and Water
• You Can Prevent Cryptosporidiosis: A Guide for People with HIV Infection
• Preventing Cryptosporidiosis: A Guide to Water Filter and Bottled Water
• Cryptosporidiosis (from Divison of Parasitic Diseases)

Cyclosporiasis (Cyclospora infection)

• Cyclosporiasis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Cyclospora infection (from Divison of Parasitic Diseases)

Dengue fever

• Dengue Fever (from Health Information for International Travel)
• CDC Dengue Fever homepage

Diarrhea

• Food and Water Precautions and Travelers' Diarrhea Prevention
• Travelers' Diarrhea (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Frequently Asked Questions About Travelers' Diarrhea (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)
• New Drug Approved for the Treatment of Travelers’ Diarrhea (Archived Highlight, originally released July 2004)

Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis

• Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Diphtheria (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)
• Diphtheria (from National Immunization Program)
• Tetanus (from National Immunization Program)
• Pertussis (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)
• Pertussis (from National Immunzation Program)

E. coli (Escherichia coli) infection

• Frequently Asked Questions About Escherichia coli O157:H7 (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)
• Safe Food and Water

Encephalitis

• Japanese Encephalitis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• CDC Japanese Encephalitis homepage
• Tickborne Encephalitis (Spring-Summer Encephalitis) (from Health Information for International Travel)
• CDC Answers Your Questions About St. Louis Encephalitis (from Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases)
• CDC Arbovirus Home Page
• See also West Nile virus infection

Filariasis

• Filariasis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Lymphatic Filariasis (from Division of Parasitic Diseases)

Giardiasis (Giardia infection)

• Giardiasis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Giardiasis (from Division of Parasitic Diseases)
• Safe Food and Water
• New Medication Approved for Treatment of Giardiasis and Amebiasis (Archived Highlight, originally released August 26, 2004)

Hantavirus

• All About Hantavirus

Head lice (pediculosis)

• Head lice (from Division of Parasitic Diseases)

Hepatitis

• Hepatitis A Virus (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Hepatitis B Virus (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Hepatitis C Virus (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Hepatitis E Virus (from Health Information for International Travel)
• CDC Viral hepatitis homepage

Histoplasmosis

• Histoplasmosis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Histoplasmosis (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)

HIV/AIDS
See AIDS/HIV

Influenza (flu)

• Influenza (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Current travel notices concerning avian influenza
• Official U.S. government website for pandemic influenza
• Preliminary Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Influenza-Like Illness Among Passengers and Crew Members on Cruise Ships, August 1999 (981 KB, 22 pages)
• Influenza (comprehensive CDC site, including avian influenza)
• Amendment to Executive Order 13295: Quarantinable Communicable Diseases
  On U.S. White House site (Released April 4)
  • Questions and Answers on the Executive Order Adding Potentially Pandemic Influenza Viruses to the List of Quarantinable Diseases (Released April 11)

Japanese Encephalitis

• Japanese Encephalitis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• CDC Japanese Encephalitis homepage
• CDC Arbovirus Home Page

Legionellosis

• Legionellosis (Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever) (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Legionellosis (Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever) (from the Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)

Leishmaniasis (Leishmania infection)

• Leishmaniasis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Leishmania infection (from Division of Parasitic Diseases)

Leptospirosis

• Leptospirosis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Leptospirosis (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)

Lyme disease

• Lyme Disease (from Health Information for International Travel)
• CDC Lyme Disease Home Page

Malaria

• Malaria (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Information on Malaria Risk and Prophylaxis, by Country
• Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment (for clinicians)
• Malaria and Travelers (on CDC Malaria site)
• CDC malaria homepage
• Fact sheets
  • Prescription Drugs for Preventing Malaria (Information for the Public)
  • Prescription Drugs for Preventing Malaria (Information for Health Care Providers)
  • Preventing Malaria in the Pregnant Woman (Information for the Public)
  • Preventing Malaria in the Pregnant Woman (Information for Health Care Providers)
  • Preventing Malaria in Infants and Children (Information for the Public)
  • Preventing Malaria in Infants and Children (Information for Health Care Providers)
• Malaria Deaths Following Inappropriate Malaria Chemoprophylaxis—United States, 2001
• Medication Guide for Lariam (U.S. FDA Web site). See link to guide in page text
• Expert Meeting on Malaria Chemoprophylaxis, January 29-30, 2003: Record of the Proceedings (PDF - 219 KB)
• Brochure: Preventing Malaria in Travelers (PDF - 280 KB)
• Poster: Visiting Friends and Family in India This Year?
  • Black and white (PDF - 628 KB)
  • Color, high resolution (PDF - 2.73 MB)
• Poster: Visiting Friends and Family in Nigeria This Year?
  • Black and white (PDF - 900 KB)
  • Color, high resolution (PDF - 3 MB)
• Malaria rapid diagnostic test approved for use in U.S. (on FDA site) (2007)

Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)

• Measles (Rubeola) (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Mumps (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Rubella (German measles) (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Measles (from National Immunization Program)
• Mumps (from National Immunization Program)
• Rubella (from National Immunization Program)

Meningitis

• Meningococcal Disease (from Health Information for International Travel) (includes map showing areas with frequent epidemics of meningococcal disease)
• Haemophilus influenzae Type b Meningitis and Invasive Disease (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Guidelines for the Management of Airline Passengers Exposed to Meningococcal Disease
  (Information for Health Care Providers)
• Meningococcal Disease (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)
• Meningococcal Disease (from National Immunization Program)
• Technical Information on Haemophilus influenzae Type b Disease
• Other CDC information on Haemophilus influenzae Type b

Norovirus infection (Norwalk/Norwalk-like virus infection)

• Norovirus infection (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Safe Food and Water

Onchocerciasis (river blindness)

• Onchocerciasis (River Blindness) (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Onchocerciasis / River Blindness (from Division of Parasitic Diseases)

Plague

• Plague (from Health Information for International Travel)
• CDC Plague Homepage

Poliomyelitis

• Poliomyelitis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Poliomyelitis Prevention in the United States: Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) (HTM)
  PDF (236 KB)
• Poliomyelitis (from National Immunization Program)

Rabies

• Rabies (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Notice to Readers: Manufacturer's Recall of Human Rabies Vaccine -- April 2, 2004
• CDC Rabies Homepage
  • Temporary unavailability of rabies pre-exposure vaccination (Updated June 18, 2008)

Rickettsial Infections

• Rickettsial Infections (from Health Information for International Travel)

Rocky Mountain spotted fever

• CDC Rocky Mountain spotted fever homepage

Rotavirus

• Rotavirus (from the Division of Viral Diseases)

Salmonellosis (Salmonella infection)

• Salmonellosis (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)
• Salmonella enteritidis Infection Salmonella typhi infection (see typhoid fever below)
• Safe Food and Water

SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)

• CDC SARS site

Scabies

• Scabies (from Division of Parasitic Diseases)

Schistosomiasis

• Schistosomiasis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Schistosomiasis (from Division of Parasitic Diseases)

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
Also see hepatitis and AIDS/HIV

• Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) (from Health Information for International Travel)

Shigellosis (Shigella infection)

• Shigellosis (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)
• Safe Food and Water

Smallpox

• Smallpox (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Emergency Preparedness and Response: Smallpox

Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pneumococcal) Disease

• Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pneumococcal) Disease (from Health Information for International Travel)

Tickborne Encephalitis

• Tickborne Encephalitis (Spring-Summer Encephalitis) (from Health Information for International Travel)
• CDC Arbovirus Home Page

Tuberculosis (TB)

• Tuberculosis (from Health Information for International Travel)
• CDC-NCHHSTP-Division of Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE) Homepage

Typhoid fever (Salmonella typhi)

• Typhoid Fever (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Typhoid Fever (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)
• Typhoid Drug Resistance: India, Nepal (Travel Notice, March 22, 2006)
• Study Finds Typhoid Vaccine Could Benefit Short-term Travelers (August 24, 2004)
• Safe Food and Water

Vibrio parahaemolyticus

• Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection (from Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases)

Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
(e.g., Ebola, Lassa, Marburg, Rift Valley)

• Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (subsite, from Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases)

West Nile virus

• CDC West Nile Virus Infection homepage

Yellow fever

• Yellow Fever Vaccine Requirements, by Country (from Health Information for International Travel)
• Yellow Fever Disease and Vaccine Information (from Health Information for International Travel)
• CDC Yellow Fever Home Page
• Authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccine centers
• Yellow Fever Vaccine Risk and Updated Yellow Fever Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) (2004)
• Reported Rare Adverse Events in Recipients of Yellow Fever Vaccine (Updated 2004)