Life and XXXX on the Amazon: illness and injury to travelers on a South American expedition.

@entity1 @entity66 @entity311 @entity204 @entity130
BACKGROUND: Commercial expeditions provide an opportunity for travelers to undertake various specialized travel to more adventurous destinations in the relative security of an expeditionary group. Little is known about the illnesses and @entity130 occurring on such expeditions. METHODS: From the commencement of the Blake Expedition in 2001, the expedition physician recorded all illnesses and @entity130 reported among the crew and also among the indigenous @entity1 encountered, while undertaking the expedition. The duration of the expedition was two and a half months, and involved travel by yacht, riverboat and jungle canoe or "bongo". The crew numbered 26 personnel: 24 @entity1 , including the expedition physician, and two @entity1 . RESULTS: Seventy-eight health problems were reported and recorded among 19 (73.1%) members of the expeditionary team. There was one @entity204 , but there were no other major incidents requiring emergency evacuation or hospitalization. Types of illness were largely those related to ear, nose and @entity66 (15/78, 19%), @entity130 (12/87, 15%), bites and stings (12/87, 15%), and respiratory (10/78, 13%), dermatologic (9/78, 12%) and gastroenterologic conditions (7/78, 9%). A further 24 health problems were reported and recorded among 22 indigenous @entity1 who approached the expedition physician for treatment. Types of illness were largely related to dermatologic conditions (9/24, 38%), accidents and @entity130 (4/24, 17%), and @entity311 (4/24, 17%). CONCLUSIONS: This expedition was both noteworthy and newsworthy because of the @entity204 of the team leader, Sir Peter Blake, although the health problems encountered were largely similar to those reported for other expeditions. @entity66 was uncommon. Adequate pre-trip preparation of expedition teams is considered important, and the inclusion of an expedition physician decreased the reliance on local health services, which are often scarce or absent on more remote-location expeditions. Adequate psychological preparation of expedition teams should also be included, to prepare expedition teams for unexpected outcomes, such as @entity204 or severe injury.
