WTO launches traveller guide to fight disease

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 ◆ WTO launches traveller guide to fight disease

The World Trade Organisation recently launched a beefed-up version of its annual travel and health guide to help globe-trotters avoid bringing home anything nastier than a sunburn.

"Disease has no borders," WTO director David Heymann said. "I can be in London today and Kinshasa tomorrow. And I can take any disease there or bring any disease back with me."

The International Travel and Health book aims to be the "gold standard" health bible for millions of long-haul business and leisure travellers around the world.

Accidents, stomach bugs, colds and sexually-transmitted diseases rank high as the greatest threats to international travellers, communicable diseases consultant Gil Lea told Reuters.

Road and drowning accidents are responsible for most travellers' deaths, but number one on the WTO's hit-list of diseases is malaria.

"Malaria remains the single biggest disease threat to international travellers," guide author Dr Lindsay Martinez said. "And there is still confusion about which tablets to take or how long to take them for."

16 people died of malaria in Britain in 2000, Lea said. And several incidents of airport malaria -- where an insect gets into a plane and infects someone at the other end -- have occurred in otherwise malaria-free countries, including, France and Belgium.

With Africa at the top of many traveller's wish-lists this year, getting information to people about the existence of last-minute prevention was paramount, Martinez said.

The guide also includes a new chapter on air travel following last year's furore over its link with deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Preventative measures, such as pressure stockings, are discussed but DVT specialist Dr William Toff warned that other defences such as aspirin may be causing more harm than good.

The WTO hopes the guide will cover the needs of most travellers -- although it does not cover refugee and migrant populations who have their own guide, Heymann said.