When You Return
On Return Home

The traveller who is well:

If you arrive home feeling healthy">

When You Return
On Return Home

The traveller who is well:

If you arrive home feeling healthy, most likely you are! However, this does not necessarily mean that you are free from infection. Whether or not you visit a doctor for a post-travel check-up should depend on your risk and duration of travel. (A week in a luxury resort often doesn't require medical follow-up whereas a 6 month trek across Africa might).

The traveller who is ill:

The most common medical problem in returning travellers are diarrhea, fever and skin rash.

Diarrhea:
Most cases of travellers' diarrhea are self-limited and mild. Medical attention should be sought in the case of severe, bloody, or persistent gastrointestinal symptoms.

Fever:

Fever in a returning traveller is "malaria" until proven otherwise.  The symptoms of malaria often resemble the flu (fever, headache, chills, muscle aches etc.) and may occur many weeks or months after return from the tropics. Since malaria may be fatal if not treated early, medical care should be sought emergently and the health care provider should be told that you have travelled recently in a malarious area and that you wish to have the diagnosis ruled out by blood films.

Fever in a returning traveller is "malaria" until proven otherwise

Physicians with expertise in the diagnosis and management of  tropical and parasitic disease are available at the Toronto General Hospital Tropical Disease Unit to care for ill returned travellers and to screen for infection those who require medical investigations. During business hours (8:00-4:00 p.m.) call (416)-340-3675 for an appointment. After business hours, returned travellers with fever or other severe illness should go for care to the emergency department at The Toronto Hospital.

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