Voa Science Report - What You Can Do to Prevent Health Problems While Traveling

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ONE: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA English. I'm Bob Doughty. VOICE TWO: And I'm Barbara . Summer is a busy period for holiday travel. Many will travel great distances in airplanes, cars or other . Today, we will offer suggestions about how to avoid problems on a long trip. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: Health in many countries say recent news reports have raised about the safety of passenger airplanes. The reports described American man with a rare kind of tuberculosis. He two times across the Atlantic Ocean before agreeing to to a hospital for treatment. At first, public health attempted to warn people who were passengers on the flights with the infected man. But officials said most the passengers had a low risk of developing the . They suggested that the passengers could be tested if wished to make sure. Since then, health officials have all the people who sat near the man. Officials those persons needed to be tested for tuberculosis immediately, then again in eight to ten weeks. It takes long for the disease to develop. The officials also the passengers to know they cannot infect anyone else TB. VOICE TWO: Many people are concerned about the sicknesses are spread in airplanes. It is known that like tuberculosis can be spread from person to person the air. Bacteria that carry TB move into the when an infected person talks or expels air suddenly the lungs. People nearby take the particles into their when they breathe. But experts say healthy people are in great danger unless they are in a closed with an infected person for a long time. Experts one reason for the low risk of infection is the man showed no signs of TB. Another reason that the planes he flew in were equipped with filters. The Federal Aviation Administration says seventy-five percent of large passenger planes now use such devices to remove particles from the air. VOICE ONE: The letters H-E-P-A the words High Efficiency Particulate Air. HEPA filters capture least ninety nine point nine seven percent of all in the air that are zero point three microns size or larger. America's Atomic Energy Commission developed HEPA sixty years ago to protect workers who were developing atomic bomb. The first HEPA filters removed radioactive particles the air. Today, the filters are used to clean air in planes, hospitals, factories, and even private homes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says HEPA filters effective in clearing the air of many particles that disease. Makers of the devices say they kill bacteria viruses because they help to remove the wetness that need to survive. But HEPA filters cannot remove disease-causing smaller than zero point three microns. These will continue move around in the air and can infect people. TWO: Medical experts say the most common way to an infection is by touching an infected surface, then the eyes, nose or mouth. They say the best people can protect themselves is by washing their hands touching an object where germs could be present. Experts the news about the man with drug-resistant tuberculosis has concerns about travelers who are sick. They say diseases spread more easily than tuberculosis could cause health and crises. In the past, public health workers were able delay travel by persons suspected of having diseases such influenza. They continue to ask everyone to act responsibly not fly while they are sick. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: say people should know about other health problems that strike when traveling by air. One of these is condition called hypoxia. It results from a lack of to the brain. Experts say the body begins losing minutes after an airplane leaves the ground. The air in a plane during flight is lower than at level. This makes it more difficult for the body effectively use the same amount of oxygen as it on the ground. Fewer oxygen molecules cross the tissues the lungs and reach the bloodstream. The result is five to twenty percent drop in the amount of in the blood. This reduces the amount of oxygen reaches the organs of the body. VOICE TWO: One of this lack of oxygen to the brain is headache. When this happens, the heart attempts to fix situation by beating harder and faster. This can make traveler feel tired. These signs of hypoxia are not in a healthy person. But a drop in oxygen can cause a health emergency in people with heart lung problems. They might lose consciousness or even suffer heart attack. Experts say that smoking cigarettes and drinking liquids also reduce the bodys ability to use oxygen. they suggest that people not drink alcohol or smoke either before or during a flight. They also say with heart or lung problems should seek advice from doctor before flying. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: Another health danger travelers is a condition called deep vein thrombosis. A is a blood clot ---- a condition in which blood thickens and blocks the flow to the heart. clots can kill if they move to the heart lungs and stop needed oxygen from reaching those important . This is known as a pulmonary embolism. The World Organization says travelers who sit still for four or hours face a greater risk of developing blood clots. it says only one in six thousand people develop vein thrombosis. Doctors say some people have more risk others. These include people who have had clots in past, pregnant woman and those who take birth control . People who weigh too much and those with heart or cancer also may have a greater risk. Others people being treated with estrogen and those who recently an operation. VOICE TWO: Experts say the chance of clot also increases if a person does not drink water. They say travelers who sit for hours need drink plenty of water ---- not liquids that contain or caffeine. Passengers should also increase blood flow to legs. Ways to do this include wearing support stockings your feet. Passengers should also walk around every hour so during the trip or at least move their and legs. Also, no one should sit for a time with the knees pressed back against a seat. say anyone with pain, swelling or red skin on leg during or after a long trip may have blood clot. Anyone with such signs should see a as soon as possible. The condition many times can treated with drugs that thin the blood and stop clot from moving through the body. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: health problem people may suffer during a flight is pain, also known as airplane ear. This is the of difference in air pressure between parts of the of the ear and the outer ear. The air in both these areas is kept generally the same the Eustachian tube. The Eustachian tube connects the middle to the nose. The tube opens when a person or takes a deep breath. These actions equalize the pressure by permitting air to flow into or out the middle ear. Pressure differences result when the Eustachian is blocked. Then the eardrum cannot perform normally. The may not be able to hear normallyand may also pain. VOICE TWO: People with colds or allergic reactions at greater risk of airplane ear because their Eustachian may be blocked. And children may suffer airplane air easily than adults because their Eustachian tubes are small easily blocked. Generally, airplane ear is most painful during off and landing. But it generally goes away a hours after the flight. If not, a doctor can treatment. Ways to prevent airplane ear include canceling plans fly if you have a cold or an allergy. can use decongestant medicines before the flight, a nasal or special earplugs that can help equalize the pressure landing and takeoffs. Swallowing and taking deep breaths during flight may also help some people. (MUSIC) VOICE ONE: SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Nancy . Our producer was Brianna Blake. I'm Bob Doughty. VOICE : And I'm Barbara Klein. You can read and listen this program on our Web site, voaspecialenglishcom.. Join us week at this time for more news about science the Voice of America.

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