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Each year millions of Americans travel abroad for vacation, business, or to visit friends and family. Unfortunately, about half of these international travelers get sick or injured during their trip.

The good news is that most travel-related sickness and injury can be prevented if you follow these tips:
1. Be Informed: Learn about travel health risks and what to do to avoid them before your trip. 2. Be ready: Get any vaccinations or medicines that you will need before your trip. 3. Be smart while you travel: Make sure you follow travel safety tips while you are on your trip. 4. Wash your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand gel. 5. Drink only boiled or bottled water or carbonated drinks from sources you trust. 6. Eat only fully cooked food or fruits and vegetables you have peeled. 7. Avoid poultry farms, bird markets and other places where live poultry is raised or kept. 8. If visiting an area where there is risk for malaria, take malaria prevention medication before, during and after your trip, as directed. 9. If you might be bitten by insects (like mosquitoes or ticks) use insect repellent with 30-50% DEET.