Health Corner

Family trips abroad have become increasingly common in today’s society, and many children even go overseas for short-term study tours or long-term education.
Parents often worry about how well their children will adapt to a new lifestyle abroad—but far fewer understand the risk of infectious diseases during travel.

Children can easily become ill while traveling.
Common illnesses such as colds or gastroenteritis are usually mild and resolve on their own.
However, some infections—like meningitis caused by meningococcal bacteria or mosquito-borne diseases such as Japanese Encephalitis—can have serious or life-threatening consequences.

Should Travelers Also Guard Against Mosquito-Borne Diseases?

Many parents assume mosquito-borne diseases only occur in remote or developing regions.
In fact, such diseases are found in subtropical destinations like Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea.

One of the most common is dengue fever.
With the popularity of farm-stay and outdoor family activities, the risk of mosquito bites—and thus infection—has increased significantly.Another illness that often goes unnoticed by parents is Japanese Encephalitis (JE). This disease transmits when a mosquito bites an infected animal and then bites a human. JE carries a fatality rate of up to 35%. The virus causes brain inflammation and swelling, damaging brain cells.
Early symptoms may appear as high fever, followed by neck stiffness, confusion, coma, or seizures. Even survivors may suffer long-term neurological damage and irreversible cognitive impairment.

Countries such as Japan, Taiwan, and Mainland China have already included the Japanese Encephalitis vaccine in their national immunization programs, though Hong Kong has not yet implemented it.

What Is Meningococcal Disease?

Meningococcal meningitis is another serious infection that targets the brain. It spreads through respiratory droplets or contact with nasal or throat secretions from an infected person.

Early symptoms include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, and light sensitivity. Patients may also develop purplish skin rashes and, in severe cases, bacterial infection in the bloodstream, leading to shock and death—sometimes within 24 hours. This rapid progression makes meningococcal disease especially dangerous, particularly for travelers unfamiliar with overseas medical systems, where diagnosis and treatment may be delayed. Even with treatment, patients may still suffer long-term complications such as hearing loss, intellectual disabilities, or muscle weakness. Like Japanese Encephalitis, meningococcal disease is vaccine-preventable. Although the vaccine is not part of Hong Kong’s government immunization program, it is included in national programs in Europe, the United States, and Mainland China. Parents are encouraged to speak to their doctor and consider arranging vaccination for their children before traveling.