Parents have been warned to ensure their children wash their hands properly after spending time outdoors, following contact with animals, particularly on farms, as well as before eating and after toileting. The advice comes after a spike in cryptosporidiosis cases, a parasitic gastrointestinal infection which is often spread person-to-person and from animals through inadvertent contact with manure. Cases reported over the past few weeks, many of them in young children under 4yo, have hit more than twice the average. Read more
Advice for travellers
Outbreaks of ‘Crypto’ in holiday resorts are well documented – mainly the result of swimming in swimming pools and water parks harbouring the parasite. While the parasite can be spread in several ways, swallowing contaminated drinking or recreational water is the most common. Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of water-borne disease in most developed countries, including Australia. Read more from heathdirect.
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.