International travel and health - module 2: environmental health risks

Overview

Depending on the health profile of the traveller, the type of travel to be undertaken, and the place of transit and destination, travellers may face various health risks during travel. The International travel and health collection serves as an entry point for other World Health Organization (WHO) publications that provide further information. Its primary target audience is travel health practitioners and travel health professionals who provide health advice to travellers on appropriate precautions to be taken to minimize any travel-related health risks in unfamiliar environments, before, during and after travel.

Module 2: Travellers often experience abrupt and dramatic changes in environmental conditions, which may have detrimental effects on their health and well-being. Travel may involve major changes in altitude, temperature and humidity, and exposure to microbes, animals and insects. The negative impact of sudden changes in the environment can be minimized by taking simple precautions.