English Language Teachers: Seven Common Tropical Diseases You Need to Know

One Experience You Can Well Do Without

Have you relocated to a tropical foreign country to teach English as a foreign language? What ever may be your reason for foreign travel, you are bound to meet new friends, try new foods, use a foreign language and have new experiences. One experience you can well do without however, is the loss of your health by contracting one of these seven common tropical diseases. Some are inconvenient and uncomfortable. Some are serious, but treatable and others can be fatal.


Here Are Seven Tropical Diseases You Should Know About

• Malaria
Despite advances in vaccinations and treatment of this centuries-old malady, Malaria still continues to take the lives of thousands each year in Africa, Asia and South America.

• Yellow Fever
A mosquito or other blood-sucking insect transmitted disease, Yellow Fever should be treated as soon as possible. It can be fatal in a fairly short period of time if left untreated.

• Cholera
Primarily transmitted by means of polluted or contaminated drinking water, there are, in fact, a few other ways of contracting this potentially fatal disease.

• Giardiasis
Although far from being fatal, this parasitic infection is uncomfortable and inconvenient as you’ll spend much of your day and night in the toilet or a foreign hospital emergency room.

• Leptospirosis
Most commonly transmitted by flea, and sometimes rat or other rodent bites, Leptospirosis is not often heard of in many “developed” countries. Nonetheless there are occasional outbreaks in a number of countries.

• Leishmaniasis
If you hike in the rain forests of Asia or South America, you can be exposed to this ameba-based infection which is very difficult to treat and even more so to cure.

• Rabies (Hypochondria)
Rabies, also known as hypochondria, is most commonly transmitted through a bite from an infected rodent, mammal or other animal. Dogs, cats, bats, raccoons and other small animals are all known to have transmitted this potentially fatal disease.

An Ounce of Prevention

Any time you travel, “an ounce of prevention can be worth far more than a pound of cure”, as the old saying goes. Use exceptional personal hygiene. Have up-to-date vaccinations as required. Avoid wearing dark colors which attract mosquitoes and heat-seeking insects. Don’t sleep scantily-clothed outdoors, especially at night. Use insect repellent when advisable. Drink only treated or commercially bottled water. And be scrupulous in what you eat or consume. Although this still won’t guarantee that you’ll escape health problems, it will aid in greatly reducing your risk of contracting these and many other communicable diseases.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an EFL Teacher Trainer, Intellectual Development Specialist, author and speaker. He has written ESP, foreign language learning, English language teaching texts and hundreds of articles used in more than 100 countries. Get your FREE E-book,"If you Want to Teach English Abroad, Here's What You Need to Know" by requesting the title at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com Need a blogger or copywriter to promote your school, institution, service or business or an experienced writer and vibrant SEO content for your website, blog or newsletter? Then E-mail me for further information.