Dr Burke's Hot Topics


Influenza Outbreak

Like SARS a few years ago, then avian flu after it, many travellers are now concerned about exposure to the new H1N1 strain of Influenza A which took off from Mexico in April 2009.

The advice to travellers is currently:

  1. Avoid travel to high risk locations as advised by DFAT at smartraveller.gov.au
     
  2. Have the annual flu shot. While this will not give protection from the new strain, it will protect you from the three seasonal strains doing the rounds of the planet, and so makes it less likely that you make the thermoscanner at the airport go bleep and risk being quarantined!
     
  3. Keep your hands clean when travelling. Take some moist antibacterial towelettes such as Wet Ones.
     
  4. Higher risk travellers (eg those travelling to do health work) may wish to take some standby Tamiflu.
     
  5. We always suggest that post-travel fevers are taken seriously. The symptoms suggesting influenza are fever, headache, muscle and joint aches, and cough. But of course many other conditions give those same symptoms, including serious illnesses such as malaria or meningitis, so we advise returned travellers who develop fevers to see a doctor rather than ‘wait and see’.

Tamiflu

This is a prescription-only tablet which has been shown to be effective in treating influenza if strated within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. It can also be used as prevention if a traveller is stuck in a city where there is a major flu outbreak. Happily, the new strain from Mexico is reported to be sensitive to Tamiflu. Long-term travellers or those travellers at especially high risk may consider carrying standby treatment. Supplies of Tamiflu always become stretched during outbreaks, due in large part to stockpiling by government health departments. For most people with generally good health, the treatment of uncomplicated flu has not changed and simply comprises rest, paracetamol, decongestants and throat lozenges. It is worth recalling that about 98% of people who caught the ‘Spanish flu’ during the awful pandemic from 1918, survived. And there was no Tamiflu available back then of course!


Further advice for travellers

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) maintains a regularly updated advisory service for travellers at www.smartraveller.gov.au