Travelling to an Endemic area

1. Travelling to an Endemic area • contact the CDC for current health information on travel destinations. • upon arrival, ask an informed local authority about the infestation of schistosomiasis before being exposed to freshwater in countries that are likely to have the disease. • do not swim, stand, wade, or take baths in untreated water. • Drink safe water. Because there is no way to make sure that water coming directly from canals, lakes, rivers, streams or springs is safe, you should either boil water for 1 minute or filter water before drinking it. • Boiling water for at least 1 minute will kill any harmful parasites, bacteria, or viruses present. • Iodine treatment alone WILL NOT GUARANTEE that water is safe and free of all parasites. • Treat all water used for drinking or bathing. Water can be treated by letting it stand for three days, heating it for five minutes to around 122°F (around 50°C), or filtering or treating water chemically, with chlorine or iodine, as with drinking water. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/schistosomiasis

2. Travelling to an Endemic area • should accidental exposure occur, infection can be prevented by hastily drying off or applying rubbing alcohol to the exposed area • Vigorous towel drying after an accidental, very brief water exposure may help to prevent the Schistosoma parasite from penetrating the skin. You should NOT rely on vigorous towel drying to prevent schistosomiasis. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/schistosomiasis