Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute.

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (0:59) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

"Travel is difficult, especially in a situation where you might have children and family members of multiple ages, some who are vaccinated and some who are not," says Dr. Rajapakse.

To make it less difficult, along with being fully vaccinated, Dr. Rajapakse says wear a mask, practice good hand-washing and avoid large crowds when possible when traveling.

"On the airplane itself, it's difficult to physically distance. But having some of these other strategies that you're using can reduce the risk of getting infected on an airplane."

Anyone who is not fully vaccinated at the time of travel should get tested for COVID-19 one to three days before travel and three to five days after they return.

"That can also help to reduce the risk not only for yourself but for everyone else and to reduce the chances that you spread the infection if you were to get infected during your travels," says Dr. Rajapakse.

Flu vaccination is equally important. Kids, pregnant women and older adults are at risk of complications, so apply the same good hygiene strategies because flu is spread in very much the same ways that COVID-19 is spread, says Dr. Rajapakse.

Related posts:

• Mayo Clinic Minute: Fighting influenza.
• Flu shots and COVID-19.
• Preventing, treating COVID-19 infection.

Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date. 

For the safety of our patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place.  Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a nonpatient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

For more information and all your COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.

Learn more about: Tracking COVID-19 and COVID-19 trends.

The post Mayo Clinic Minute: Strategies for safe holiday travel appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (0:59) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please "Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

"You are potentially exposed to lots of different types of germs in a public setting where you have a lot of people who are in a relatively confined space," explains Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a Mayo Clinic pediatric infectious disease specialist.

She says the best thing travelers can do to protect themselves from picking up an infection, like the flu, is wash their hands.

"As simple as it sounds, it really is the most effective way to keep yourself well when traveling."

Excellent hand-washing also can help protect you from getting infected with norovirus.

"That one tends to occur on cruise ships because you have a limited number of restaurants or places that people are eating, and you can have food that sits out in buffet style for prolonged periods of time, which kind of really makes a good breeding ground for spread of this type of infection," says Dr. Rajapakse.

Making sure your food is piping hot and cooked thoroughly also can decrease your risk.

When going through a busy airport, you may notice some travelers wearing face masks. Dr. Rajapakse says if you're sick, wearing a face mask can decrease your risk of transmitting the infection to someone else. However, in terms of otherwise healthy people, she says that face masks generally don't give that much additional protection.

Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding along with guidelines and recommendations may have changed since the original publication date. 

Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for additional updates on COVID-19. For more information and all your COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.

The post Mayo Clinic Minute: Tips to avoid illness while traveling appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Two confirmed cases of the typhoid fever have been reported in the U.S., including in Los Angeles and Boston. This sometimes life-threatening bacteria infects more than 20 million people worldwide, though it's rare in the U.S.

Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria. The bacteria are spread through contaminated food or water, and occasionally direct contact with someone who is infected. 

Symptoms may include:

• Headache
• Fever
• Weakness and fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Sweating
• Dry cough

Typhoid fever can be treated with antibiotics. Left untreated, it can be fatal to approximately 30% of those infected. It is usually diagnosed using blood and stool tests.

There are two types of vaccine to protect against typhoid. One is injected, while the other is given orally in capsule form. Vaccination is recommended for those who are in close contact with those with typhoid, and those who travel in areas where the virus is common, such as India, Southeast Asia, Africa and South America.

Vaccination for travelers is an important consideration, says Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, an infectious diseases specialist at Mayo Clinic.

Watch: Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse talks about travel vaccines.

Journalists: The broadcast-quality sound bite with Dr. Rajapakse is in the downloads at the end of the post. Please "Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network."

"Different types of infections are present in different areas of the world. There are vaccinations that are available for some travel-related illnesses that you would not have received as part of your routine childhood or adulthood vaccines if you grew up in the U.S.," says Dr. Rajapakse. "Examples of this would be the yellow fever vaccine or typhoid vaccine, which are recommended for people traveling to certain areas of the world."

If you are planning to travel outside the U.S., see your health care provider or visit a travel clinic to discuss vaccination options and other measures you can take to stay safe and healthy while traveling. 

The post Infectious Diseases A–Z: What is typhoid fever? appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Updated Statement from Mayo Clinic
January 30, 2017

“We are currently assessing the situation related to the travel and immigration executive order. We are aware of approximately 80 staff, physicians, or scholars associated with Mayo Clinic who have ties to the seven countries included in the executive order. We are not aware of any Mayo Clinic staff traveling for Mayo Clinic business who are currently affected. We are not aware of any Mayo-sponsored non-immigrant visa holders who have been immediately affected. We are still unsure of how Mayo staff and their families who are traveling for personal reasons may be affected.

A number of Mayo Clinic staff and trainees have expressed concern about the potential impact this order may have on their future plans, and we are working to more fully assess and advise on these concerns in a rapidly changing legal environment.

We are aware of approximately 20 patients who may be affected, and are working with any patients who have any concerns related to travel to or from Mayo Clinic.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Ginger Plumbo, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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Mayo Clinic infectious disease specialist, Dr. Pritish Tosh was a guest on Mayo Clinic Radio.   Click here to listen to his segment on Ebola.

What is Ebola? How does it spread? Can it be treated?

Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever characterized by sudden onset of fever and malaise, accompanied by other nonspecific symptoms, such as myalgia, headache, vomiting and diarrhea. Some patients may have severe symptoms in later stages of the disease, including severe bleeding complications. The incubation period is usually eight to 10 days, but can range from two to 21 days. Patients are not infectious until symptoms occur. Transmission occurs through unprotected contact with blood or body fluids of an infected person. Ebola does not spread through casual contact, such as shaking hands or being near an infected person. No vaccine is available. Treatment consists of supportive care. No specific treatments are available.

Why is Ebola spreading so rapidly in some African countries?

The viruses that cause Ebola are often spread through families and friends, because they come in close contact with infectious secretions when caring for ill persons. Exposure to Ebola viruses is occurring in some health care settings in affected countries where hospital staff are not using appropriate protective equipment, such as masks, gowns and gloves.

Is this a global health emergency?

Ebola poses little risk to the U.S. general population at this time. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have not declared a public health emergency, travel notices for affected countries have been announced.

What are the recommendations for persons planning trips to West Africa?

A travel medicine specialist should be consulted prior to travel to these countries. Additional guidance is on the WHO website

Could Ebola cases be seen at Mayo Clinic?

Historically, Ebola outbreaks have only occurred in African nations. However, it is feasible that a patient could be seen at Mayo Clinic with Ebola if he or she recently traveled to an affected country and acquired the illness there. Mayo Clinic is prepared to handle any potential cases of Ebola by following infection prevention measures, such as isolation precautions and use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The safety of patients and health care workers is a Mayo Clinic priority.

How can Mayo Clinic manage Ebola?

Mayo can manage Ebola by:

• Asking patients with symptoms compatible with Ebola about travel history (within 21 days to West Africa) and contact with sick people
• Notifying Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) at your site of any suspected Ebola cases (There is no commercially available diagnostic test. Testing must be requested through public health authorities.)
• Applying standard precautions consistently for all patients at all times
• Placing hospitalized patients with suspected Ebola in Modified Droplet Precautions. In addition:
  • Restrict room entry to essential personnel only.
  • Implement visitor and employee logs to track entrance to the patient’s room. Examples of visitor and employee logs are on the IPAC intranet site.
  • Limit transport of the patient out of the room.

Recommendations may change as the situation evolves.

*Note: This article is written by Greg Brown and originally appeared on the Mayo Clinic employee News Center.

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HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK
Fitness tips for menopause: Why fitness counts 

Regular physical activity is crucial for women facing menopause. The benefits are many, including preventing weight gain, reducing the risk of breast cancer, strengthening bones and boosting your mood. For motivation, set realistic, achievable goals. For example, commit to a daily 30-minute walk after dinner. Team up with someone, such as a partner, friend or neighbor. When you're ready to get started, you have many choices. Consider:

• Aerobic activity. Try brisk walking, jogging, biking, swimming or water aerobics. Any physical activity that uses large muscle groups and increases your heart rate counts.
• Strength training. Regular strength training can help you reduce body fat, strengthen your muscles and more efficiently burn calories. Try weight machines, hand-held weights or resistance tubing.
• Stretching. Stretching can help improve flexibility. Set aside time to stretch after each workout, when your muscles are warm and receptive to stretching.
• Stability and balance. Balance exercises improve stability and can help prevent falls. Try simple exercises, such as sideways walking. Activities such as tai chi also can be helpful.

Remember, you don't have to go to the gym to exercise. Many activities, such as dancing, gardening and other yardwork, also can improve your health. Whatever physical activities you choose, take time to warm up and cool down safely.

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