City Doc

A travel clinic can advise you on how to protect yourself from the risks of blood-borne infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

Everybody should be aware of the risks of blood-borne infections when they’re travelling abroad. It’s easy to take for granted the risks. Some health experts have expressed concerns that not enough people are attending a health clinic before they fly, or are not taking their advice seriously – resulting in more cases of malaria. Some health experts blame the changes in how we travel – never before has it been so easy to jump on a plane and be on the other side of the world. The rise of low-cost airlines and cheap package deals means more of us are travelling to places in the world previously considered exotic, but are now routine destinations. A travel clinic will remind you of the need to take precautions and not be too blasé when holidaying abroad.

Travel Clinic: HIV and Hepatitis B and C

As well as diseases such as yellow fever and malaria, blood-borne diseases that are risk factors in the UK, could be even bigger risk factors abroad. HIV for example is endemic in some parts of the developing world – a travel clinic will advise you on your destination and the risks you may face.
Some of the reasons why you should seek advice from a travel clinic about the risks of blood-borne infections include:

• Not all countries have stringent hygiene regulations regarding medical and dental procedures and hygiene
• Tattoos or piercings abroad could pose a risk as they may not be regulated to the same degree as in the UK

As well as being exposed to infected needles or infected blood, unprotected sex could put you at risk of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. A travel clinic will advise you to always take condoms with you, and if you do have to have a medical procedure, always check the needles are sterilised and any blood is screened. Although you need to take precautions to safeguard your health from blood infections, a travel clinic will provide a vaccine against hepatitis B. As well as ensuring you have the right vaccinations from a travel clinic, take responsibility for your own well being, carry a basic medical kit that is suited to where you are going, and what you are doing. Your travel clinic will be able to advise you on this.

Choose CityDoc for all your Travel Clinic needs

At CityDoc, you can book over the phone or walk into one of our travel clinics for a same-day appointment. Don’t travel abroad without ensuring that you’ve had the right vaccinations. CityDoc provides a complete travel clinic service, customized to your individual needs. Our pre-travel consultations are with experienced General Practitioners who will assess the impact of any pre-existing chronic medical conditions on your vaccine requirements. We have the full range of travel vaccines in stock including rarer vaccines such as Japanese Encephalitis. CityDoc is a registered yellow fever centre and is able to dispense anti-malarials directly from our in house pharmacy for your added convenience. Choose from our three travel clinic locations in London and Birmingham for ease of access.