Our immune systems are extremely delicate, and stressful situations like traveling can wreak havoc on them. Sleep deprivation, stress and many other issues on trips can only make you more susceptible to infections.
And your body isn’t the only change that could make you sick.
Traveling exposes you to more people than you would normally encounter. Spending time near dozens or hundreds of strangers only creates a better chance of catching something like a cold.
Chickenpox is a highly contagious virus characterized by a blister-like rash to form all over the skin. Spreading across the body, the pock-marked rash is also extremely itchy.
Decades old, a chickenpox vaccine now makes the virus preventable. Even once contracted, anti-viral medication creates a simple treatment for chickenpox.
It’s probably less of a concern for parents of young children, but the chickenpox virus can also cause shingles.
What’s your first reaction when someone suggests that you don’t bring those electronic gadgets while on vacation?
Does it send a wave of panic through your body? Do you feel a sense of relief? Maybe you experience a wave of dread and guilt.
But would it really be that difficult for you to leave your cell phone home while you’re on holiday? The answer: It depends on the person and how they use their devices in their everyday lives.
In an extremely rare event, four people have been diagnosed with cholera in an outbreak in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Four cholera patients might sound like a small amount anywhere else in the world, but for Canada, where the disease has been virtually eradicated for decades, it’s a big deal. The country gets only about two cases per year on average, so the outbreak has already doubled expected numbers.
Officials believe that herring eggs are the cause of this outbreak. The eggs were harvested on the east coast of Vancouver Island, namely in the French Creek to Qualicum Bay area, according to Dr. Shannon Waters. Herring roe is not considered a problem by the First Nations Health Authority.
Sounding like something out of a horror movie, a smallpox demon is actually far more scientific.
Or a mix of science and centuries-old Japanese history.
Although eradicated in 1980, smallpox created fear for centuries across the globe. The infectious disease caused a fever, vomiting, sores and skin rash. It even led to bumps that would scab and leave scars all over the body.
The smallpox demon comes from Japanese culture and believed to be the source of all smallpox epidemics in Japan. In medieval times, people would try to appease or attack the demon since there was no other source of reliable, effective treatment.
