Respiratory Infections in Travelers Returning from the Tropics

Abstract

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs), beside diarrheas, skin lesions, and fevers of unknown origin, are one of the most common health problems acquired by travelers going to tropical and subtropical countries. Visitors to African, Asian, or South American destinations, typically characterized by harsh environmental conditions and poor sanitation standards, are at risk of exposure to a large number of pathogens causing infectious diseases. The infections are transmitted from contaminated food and water, through the air, direct contact, or by insects. The main modes of RTIs transmission include droplet infection and direct contact. The clinical spectrum of RTIs in travelers is broad, from upper respiratory tract infections, pharyngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, to influenza-like illness. The spectrum of microbial agents causing respiratory infections include numerous viruses and bacteria, rarely fungi, and parasites. Most travelers complain of mild infections, only a small minority seek medical assistance and report to health care facilities. Because of the risk of importing pathogens into Europe or North America and transferring them onto the local population, it is important to present the scale of the problem in relation to rapid development of tourism industry and an increasing number of intercontinental journeys. The aim of the study was to discuss the occurrence of travel-related respiratory infections among representatives of temperate climate traveling to and returning from the tropics.

Travel medicine in primary health care

“…The diagnostics of respiratory illnesses is based on the identification of the etiological agent, using either molecular assays (viruses) or standard microbiological methods (bacteria). Nasal/ /pharyngeal swabs or sputum samples are most often used for this purpose; the standard imaging methods to diagnose respiratory illnesses include a sinus or chest X-ray [17].…”

Profile of medical information sought by Polish travelers

“…The most common etiological factors responsible for the development of respiratory tract infections are viral (influenza and parainfluenza viruses, rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, and coronaviruses) and bacterial pathogens (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae). Tropical pathogens are rarely detected in patients with lower respiratory tract illnesses [19,20]. Fevers of unknown origin (FUOs) are typically a sign of various parasitic or contagious diseases.…”

Fever of unknown origin in returning travellers

“…The most widespread cosmopolitan bacterial pathogens are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, group A Streptococci, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The most common virus causing respiratory tract infections in travellers is the Influenza virus [29]. Respiratory symptoms may also occur in systemic febrile illnesses, mainly malaria, enteric fever and leptospirosis, which may result in some diagnostic problems [30].…”