Infectious Diseases and Travel Medicine

If you are planning to visit less developed nations or regions, Infectious Diseases and Travel Medicine​ at Summit Health can explain what you should do to protect and maintain your health while you travel.

Our Infectious Diseases and Travel Medicine Physicians Can Advise You About

• Food and water preparations
• Malaria prevention and treatment
• Precautions against insect bites
• High altitude acclimation
• Traveler’s diarrhea prevention
• Jet lag prevention
• Immunizations, including hepatitis A and B

Our Infectious Diseases and Travel Medicine Services

Your physician can determine the sequence and timing for the travel immunizations you need. He or she also will alert you about health risks in certain countries and explain how you can minimize them.

For children aged 16 years and younger, please contact Pediatrics at 908-273-4300 for an appointment.

Your Consultation

Before your trip, discuss your travel plans with your physician. He or she will then make recommendations based on:

• Your overall health
• Each location you will visit
• The length of your trip
• Activities for the trip
• Your age, medical history, and vaccine history

Before you leave for your trip, be sure to ask your physician about preventing and treating:

• Food- and water-borne illnesses
• Malaria
• Insect bites
• Animal bites and scratches
• Altitude sickness
• Heat illness such as heat stress, exhaustion, and stroke
• Traveler’s diarrhea

Immunizations, including:

• Hepatitis A and B
• Typhoid fever
• Diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus
• Polio
• Seasonal influenza
• Meningitis, Japanese encephalitis, dengue fever, chikungunya fever

Remember to tell your doctor if you have recently been sick or if you get sick when you are about to travel. Discuss all of your allergies, current medications, or other health concerns.

Although vaccinations and medications can help prevent you from getting sick, many diseases can be prevented through safe health practices such as carefully washing your hands with soap and clean water or an alcohol-based hand cleaner before eating or preparing food.