Journal of travel medicine
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Ciguatera fish poisoning is a travel-related illness characterized by a combination of gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms in persons who eat ciguatoxic seafood in endemic areas. ⋯ Sailors are an occupational group at risk for ciguatera fish poisoning due to potentially unsafe food sources during international travel. Even if no fatality occurred, the disease affected marine operations due to high attack rates and chronicity of symptoms. Medical doctors must be aware that ciguatera fish poisoning is a risk for seafarers traveling in tropical and subtropical areas. Stocking of food in affected ports from safe sources, adequate training of ship cooks, and informing sailors about the risk of fishing are needed to prevent disease occurrence in seafarers in international trade and traffic.
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The aim of this prospective observational cohort study was to investigate relationships between acute mountain sickness (AMS) and physical and mental health during a high altitude expedition. ⋯ Upper respiratory symptoms and anxiety increasingly contributed to symptom burden as altitude was gained. Data were consistent with increased heart rate, decreased arterial oxygen saturation, reduced fluid intake, and upper respiratory symptoms being causally associated with AMS. Upper respiratory symptoms and fluid intake are the simplest targets for intervention to reduce AMS during high altitude exposure.
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Febrile exanthema is a common symptom in returning travelers. In addition to cosmopolitan diseases, etiologies specific to the visited country must be considered. As an accurate diagnosis is important, clinical suspicion should be confirmed by laboratory tests. The case reports of three brothers returning from Indonesia highlight the possibility of misdiagnosis due to the clinical similarity and serological cross reactivity of dengue fever and measles.