Cholera

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Cholera is an infection that can cause severe diarrhoea. It's not found in the UK, but there's a very small risk of getting it while travelling in some parts of the world. 

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Hepatitis A

 

Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by a virus that's spread in the poo of an infected person. Hepatitis A is most widespread in parts of the world where standards of sanitation and food hygiene are generally poor, such as parts of Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Far East, the Middle East, and Central and South America.

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Hepatitis B

 

Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by a virus that's spread through blood and body fluids. Hepatitis B is less common in the UK than other parts of the world, but certain groups are at an increased risk. This includes people originally from high-risk countries, people who inject drugs and people who have unprotected sex with multiple sexual partners.

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Japanese Encephalitis

 

Japanese encephalitis is a type of viral brain infection that's spread through mosquito bites. It's most common in rural areas throughout South East Asia, the Pacific islands and the Far East, but is very rare in travellers. The virus is found in pigs and birds, and is passed to mosquitoes when they bite infected animals. It's more common in rural areas where there are pig farms and rice fields. It can't be spread from person to person.

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Tick-borne Encephalitis

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Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an infection spread by tick bites. It's not found in the UK, but there's a low risk of getting it in parts of Europe and Asia. Consider having the TBE vaccine if you're visiting a country where the infection is found and you're planning to do outdoor activities when you get there.

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Malaria

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Malaria is a serious tropical disease spread by mosquitoes. If it isn't diagnosed and treated promptly, it can be fatal. A single mosquito bite is all it takes for someone to become infected. Malaria is caused by a type of parasite known as Plasmodium. There are many different types of Plasmodia parasites, but only 5 cause malaria in people. 

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Meningitis

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Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord (meninges).

It can affect anyone, but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults.

Meningitis can be very serious if not treated quickly. It can cause life-threatening blood poisoning (septicaemia) and result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves. Meningitis is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection. Bacterial meningitis is rarer but more serious than viral meningitis.

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Rabies

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Rabies is a rare but very serious infection of the brain and nerves. It's usually caught from the bite or scratch of an infected animal, most often a dog. Rabies is found throughout the world, particularly in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. It's not found in the UK except in a small number of wild bats.

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Typhoid

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Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection that can spread throughout the body, affecting many organs. Without prompt treatment, it can cause serious complications and can be fatal. Typhoid fever is most common in parts of the world that have poor sanitation and limited access to clean water.

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Yellow Fever

 

Yellow fever is a serious infection spread by mosquitoes. It's found in parts of Africa, South America, Central America and the Caribbean. The mosquitoes that spread the infection are found in towns and rural areas. They mainly bite during the day.