|
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 15:18 |
|
Travel Vaccines Should be Given Well Before Packing Bags With the popularity of eco-travel, mission and humanitarian work soaring, it has become extremely important to ensure that you are up to date on travel vaccines and boosters before departing to your destination. If you will be traveling out of the country, travel vaccines are something you may well need to consider. Depending on the country (and even region to region within the same country), various vaccines and or boosters may be recommended. The only vaccine required by International Health Regulations is yellow fever vaccination for travel to certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America. Meningococcal vaccination is required by the government of Saudi Arabia for annual travel during the Hajj.A Typhoid vaccine, polio booster and possibly anti-malarial medication may be indicated depending on the region you plan to visit. In or out of the United States, it is always advisable to stay up to date on your tetanus vaccine. The one now recommended by CDC is a booster Tdap for most people. (This includes the whooping cough booster). Everyone should have a tetanus booster every 10 years for protection against the disease. Most people worry about getting stuck with the proverbial rusty nail, but tetanas toxoid bacteria can get into any dirty puncture wound and potentially be fatal. Vaccines can take up to 4-6 weeks for full immunity, so it is important to get vaccinated well before your scheduled trip. We carry most travel vaccines at Bee Caves Medical and Lakeway Medical If you are not certain of the required vaccines, contact :http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/vaccinations.htm or call our office the day prior to your visit and we will have the information for you at the time of your visit. |
|
|
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 00:00 |
|
We now offer two methods of allergy testing. Based on specific needs and recommendations by our providers, patients may be allergy tested by the skin-prick method or by serum (simple blood draw). We are able to test for 36 specific environmental allergens and 25 specific food allergens using the serum test and 56 specific environmental allergens using the skin prick method. Please call for more information if you are interested. Our staff can answer further questions and give you specific instructions needed prior to testing. Patients may have serum testing done at either office, but the skin prick test is currently performed only at our Bee Caves location. |
|
|
|
|
|
