A Booster of Anxiety

As Jenn and I were grinding our way through the drive-thru line at Starbucks this morning, we were wondering just exactly how dangerous is it, medically-speaking, to move to China and live there and explore the country for a year? After spending the next few hours at the Infectious Disease Associates of Tampa Bay medical center for travelers, we agreed that, in a word: plenty.

The CDC calls China a developing nation in the lower half of the world's economies where the summers are generally hot and humid and winters are cold in all non-tropical areas. A high level of medical care can be received in Beijing. Everywhere else provides what they refer to as 'adequate' (meaning not up to industrialized country standards) and you can get this in Shanghai (fortunately!), and three other major cities. Shortages of routine meds and supplies are common and it is suggested we get adequate evacuation coverage as a high priority.

Here is what is recommended for us since we are living, working, and will be exploring the country for more than a few weeks:

Hepatitus A | Typhoid | Hepatitus B | Japanese Encephalitis | Tick-borne Encephalitis | Rabies | Influenza | Tetanus/diptheria | Measles | Pneumococcal | Polio | Varicella

There is also the malaria and the everpresent traveler's diarrhea to consider, along with the worldwide alert about Melamine-contaminated dairy products and the Avian influenze (bird flu).

All this and they also say we are not allowed to swim in lakes or streams because bad organisms will swim into 'openings' and things get very ugly.

Intrepid travelers that we are, we are still joking with each other about the joys of eating street food when our doctor briefs on Japanese Encephelitis. Suddenly, it is time to sober up.

Basically, (JE) means swelling of the brain and it's spread, like malaria, through mosquitoes. Mild infections cause fever and headache, severe infections cause death - in 1 out of 4 cases. Those are LOUSY odds.

Our anxiety for the day is tweaked when we learn the risks of simply getting the immunization shot:

About 1 in 5 has soreness, redness, or swelling at shot location...no problem there.

About 1 in 10 has fever, headache, muscle pain, cramps, rash, chills, nausea/vomiting, dizziness...nothing worse than an evening of watching Lou Dobbs - we're still good.

And, less than .5% have severe reactions. What's severe? It's a live vaccine so in these cases the patient actually develops Japanese Encephalitis. Rash, swelling of throat, hands, feet, breathing difficulty, hoarsness, hives, neurological complications. Oh, and the kicker - there is no treatment for JE.

Now I don't mind shots, and Jenn is a pharmacist and she is certified to provide immunizations now - but the JE shot has us more than a little freaked out. Out of all the others, this is a precautionary shot that I wish we did not need, but no matter how we look at it, we do.

So we are scheduled to get the shot tomorrow. It has to be given within two weeks of leaving on our trip so we can seek immediate medical attention if we have any negative reactions. Hopefully if I do have a reaction I can continue to type...:)