Preparing for a Trip

Name: _________________________________       Date: _____________

In this activity, you will make preparations to tour a foreign country. You know you will need a passport, a toothbrush, and some clothes, but do you know how to protect yourself from diseases in foreign countries? This activity will help you plan ahead.

1. What country would you like to visit? To make the activity more interesting, don't pick Canada or a country in Western Europe.
   
   
   
   
2. Visit the CDC page with listings of worldwide destinations. Click on the geographical region where your country is located. Which of the following diseases might you be exposed to during your trip? Assume you will visit all regions of your country. Read the page carefully to see if these diseases occur in the country you have chosen. Write "yes," "no," or "maybe" in the risk column after each disease.
   
   

   Disease	Risk? (yes, no, maybe)	Disease spread by		Type of organism
   		insect	water/food	virus	bacteria	protist
   Cholera
   Malaria						X
   Dengue fever
   Typhoid fever
   Hepatitis A
   Yellow fever

   
   
3. Which of these diseases are transmitted by insects? Which are transmitted through food or water? What type of organism causes each disease? Continue filling out the table under question 2 by placing an X in every category that applies.
   
   
   
   
4. Which of the following things should you do before your trip? Put an "X" before the items or actions you will need. You may assume you are leaving on your trip from the United States, and that you will be visiting rural areas during disease-prone seasons. If you "X" the last three items, please fill in the names of the drug or type of vaccine you will need.
   

   ___	Pack DEET (insect repellent), mosquito bednets, and insect killer.
   ___	Pack the antimalarial drug _______________.
   ___	Consider getting a vaccination for _______________. (vaccine available for disease with possible risk)
   ___	Get a vaccination for _______________. (vaccine recommended or required)

   
   
5. You may need to be aware of what you eat and drink while you are away. Put an "X" next to the recommendations that apply to you.
   

   ___	Eat only thoroughly cooked food served hot.
   ___	Consume only beverages and ice made from boiled water.
   ___	Peel raw fruits and vegetables yourself.
   ___	Avoid fish and shellfish.

   
   
6. Explore the CDC pages for the region you selected to find out about other diseases you need to consider. Also, check the CDC information on current travel notices for specific countries.
   
   
   
   
7. Summarize your information by creating a travel brochure for your country. If your class is also learning about weather, culture, or geography, you might want to include tips on how to dress, a few helpful greetings, and areas to visit.