Over 10 million Americans travel to developing countries each year. They often encounter health risks with which they and their doctors are unfamiliar. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) publish "Health Information for International Travel", which provides general guidelines for travelers. Specific recommendations must be adjusted to specific locations within a country, as well as to the duration and type of travel anticipated.

Some confusion exists in advice to travelers, since legal requirements and medically indicated precautions are generally separate issues. Both must be addressed and are subject to sudden change. Thus, current information should always be obtained from travelers' clinics, from local health departments, or from the Centers for Disease Control.

In general, destinations within the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zeatand require no specific health precautions. In contrast, a six-week backpacking trip through East Africa may require six or seven different vaccinations given over six to eight weeks, several prescription medications, and patient education.

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