TRAVEL MEDICINE    

HEALTH INFORMATION FOR VISITORS TO GREECE

Dear Visitors, The Ministry Of Health anti Social Solidarity and KEEL''  www.keel.org.gr '' welcome you to Greece. This leaflet will provide you with useful information for your protection against some infections and hazards that you may be at risk.

 GASTROENTERITIS - TRAVELER'S DIARRHEA
FOOD BORNE DISEASES

They are caused by water and food consumption contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites etc. The most common symptoms that can occur either in isolation or in combination are: diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, fever, etc.

How to prevent them:

• Wash always your hands after using the toile, before and after handling or preparing food and before eating.
• Tap water in Greece is safe. Avoid using water from wells or other water sources except from the tap water. If in doubt choose bottled water.
• Eat freshly cooked food that is still hot. Avoid non refrigerated food or food that has been allowed to stand for sometime.
• Eat vegetables and fruit that have been washed well.
• Avoid food and Ice cream obtained from street food vendors, which are likely to have been kept under inappropriate conditions.
• Avoid non-pasteurized milk and dairy products prepared from it. Check the expiry date on the packet.
• Avoid raw or undercooked food. (e.g. seafood. eggs.)

AIRBORNE DISEASES

They are transmitted through air and contaminated droplets from the respiratory system after coughing and sneezing. The common symptoms of these diseases are: fever, cough, shortness of breath, sputum etc.

How to prevent them:

• Avoid closed and poorly- aired areas.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your hand while coughing. Remember to wash your hands well afterwards.

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED (S.T.D) AND BLOODBORNE DISEASES

The sexually transmitted diseases are transmitted through sexual contact if preventative measures have not been taken. The only sexually transmitted disease preventable with vaccination is hepatitis B.
Special attention should be paid to these diseases since in some cases there are no symptoms. Sometimes symptoms may be present such as: vaginal or urethral discharge, abdominal pain, fever, burning on urinating. Blood borne diseases are spread through direct contact with contaminated blood or other body fluids.

How to prevent them:

• Use always a latex condom with every sexual contact during the whole time of contact and with every new partner.
• Avoid needles. razors or other sharp objects already used which may be contaminated. Discard the used ones, so that they can not be used by another person by mistake. Do not share them With others.
• Avoid any therapeutic or cosmetic methods (e.g. acupuncture, tattooing. etc.) if you are In doubt  about the  appropriateness of sterilization procedures and if instruments are not exclusively used for' you or are not for one use only.

TICK BORNE DISEASES

Insects playa significant role in the transmission of a number of diseases. In certain areas diseases like Leishmaniasis and Rikettsiosis can occur.

How to prevent them:

• Apply insect repellents

SUN EXPOSURE

You should always bear in mina that the sun can be dangerous. Ultraviolet sun radiation includes UVA and UVB rays which can cause: skin damage (bums, cancer, melanoma) damage to the eyes, thermal exhaustion, thermal shock, photosensi­tivity, or photo allergic dermatitis.

How to prevent them:

• Avoid sun exposure between 12:00-14:00 pm.

• Use sunscreen with high protective factor, wear a hat and sunglasses and Light -coloured clothes.

• Drink plenty of fluids.

• Special protection and care is required for children

USEFUL INFORMATION

If you get sick:

• Ask for help from your hotel manager.

• Seek medical attention and inform the Doctor about your past medical history, your medication, and give details about the countries you have visited.

• In certain cases ( e.g. SARS) you may be contacted by the public health authorities for your own protection and for public health reasons. Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated ...

  USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS IN GREECE   

 

 AVIAN INFLUENZA    

Dear Traveler:

The Ministry of Health & Social Solidarity and the Hellenic Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. wish to give you same useful health information with regards to avian influenza.
Το date, cases of avian flu have been confirmed in the following countries: CAM BODGE, CROATIA, INDONESIA, KAZAKHSTAN, LAOS, MALAYSIA, MONGOLIA, NORTH KOREA, PAKISTAN, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (INCLUDING HONG KONG), ROMANIA, RUSSIA, THAILAND, TURKEY, UKRAINE AND VIETNAM.
Currently, there is no travel notice advising cancelling your trip to the fare mentioned destinations. Travellers to these countries should observe the fallowing measures to help avoid illness:
If during your stay, you suffer from fever above 38C, experience difficulty breathing, coughing or other serious symptoms, immediately consult a doctor.

Please be reminded, it is against the law to bring into the European Union (EU-745/2004), birds, poultry, eggs, other bird by-products such as feathers or down, or hunted game from countries with confirmed cases of avian flu.

During travel

• Avoid all direct contact with poultry. including touching well-appearing. sick or dead chicken and ducks.

• Avoid places. such as poultry farms and bird markets, where live poultry are r-raised or kept.

• Avoid handling surfaces contaminated with poultry faeces or secretions.

• Clean your hands often. using soap and water (or waterless alcohol-based hand rubs when soap is not available and hands are not visibly soiled). As with other infectious illnesses. careful and frequent hand washing removes potentially infectious material from your skin and is and of the most important preventive practices to prevent disease transmission.

• Do not consume raw or undercooked foods from poultry. including eggs and poultry blood. Influenza viruses are destroyed by heat.

• If you become sick with symptoms such as a fever, difficulty breathing, or cough or with any illness that requires prompt medical attention, consult a physician as soon as possible. It is advisable that you defer travel until you are free of symptoms unless your travel is health-related.

After your return:

• Monitor your health for 10 days.
• If you become ill with fever and develop a cough or difficulty breathing. or if you develop any illness during this 10 - day period, consult a health-care provider.

Before you visit a health- care setting, tell the provider about:

1. your symptoms
2. if you have had direct poultry contact, and

3. where you travelled. This way, he or she can be aware you have travelled to an area reporting avian influenza.

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS IN GREECE

Guidance about avian influenza is subject to change. For updated information about disease in humans and countries affected contact:

HELLENIC CENTRE FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION 210- 5212000 www.keel.org.gr

NATIONAL CENTRE FOR EMERGENCY CARE (EKAB) 166