Vaccine-preventable food- and water-borne diseases

Abstract

Contaminated food and water can transmit a wide variety of infectious diseases. Catherine Brewer looks at the vaccine-preventable food- and water-borne diseases Contaminated food and water can transmit a wide variety of infectious diseases, with all of these having a higher incidence in low-income counties. Food- and water-borne diseases are still the most common health issue experienced by travellers, often causing diarrhoea. The vaccine-preventable diseases are poliomyelitis, hepatitis A, typhoid and cholera. Taking food and water precautions and making wise choices is the key to prevention of these diseases, and many others which are not vaccine-preventable.