Keeping well on cruises

Cruise ships are becoming increasingly popular.¹ It is vital for practice nurses to have a good understanding of the health risks faced by these travellers. This article will discuss the most common infectious diseases associated with cruise travel.

Infectious diseases are one of the most common health problems that present at sea. They can be contracted via person-to-person contact, contaminated food or water or environmental surfaces.¹ The most common outbreaks are respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses.² There are other infectious diseases that a practice nurse may want to consider, such as measles, rubella, hepatitis A, varicella and meningococcal meningitis. After careful risk assessment, practice nurses can give advice or administer vaccines if they feel the traveller is at risk on board or at any of the ports. However, this article will focus on respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses.