Bugs, Bites & Bowels: The Essential Guide to Travel Health by Wilson-Howarth, Dr. Jane (2006) Paperback

by Jane Wilson-Howarth

This exhaustive travel health manual is written by Dr. Jane Wilson- Howarth, a doctor, mother, intrepid traveler and widely published journalist. She gives helpful advice on all aspects of traveling, from what to expect and pre-trip vaccinations to the hazards of heat and sun in deserts and jungles and of cold and exposure in mountains and caves. In this fully updated edition, there is information on the latest Malaria treatments, on growing concerns for travelers such as deep vein thrombosis, or "economy class syndrome," and sections covering travel health for groups with special requirements, such as epilepsy sufferers, diabetics, families with children and the elderly. The usefulness of natural remedies is assessed, and in a feature unique among travel health guides, responsible tourism is covered. Tables help readers match disease to country, while special sections cover skin infections, the risks of sunburn, and even the psychological effects of becoming an expatriate. There is advice on how to treat bites and stings and information on accidents, first aid, common ailments and what to do if travelers get home and need treatment. It's invaluable on any trip, be it a drive to a local beach or a trek through the Sahara.

Paperback

First published June 1, 1995

About the author

As a child Jane dreamed of intrepid adventures and encounters with exotic wildlife but it wasn’t until she was 22 and with a zoology degree to her credit that she started travelling: she organised a six-month expedition to catalogue the creatures living in Himalayan caves. To cut a very long story short, this trip lead to a parasitology then medical qualification, a husband and many more exotic trips. She experienced leeches, malaria mosquitoes, ticks and scorpions first hand and, realising how good information contributes to enjoyable travel, wrote her first travel health guide, "Bugs Bites & Bowels", which launched in a sixth edition in December 2023 as "Staying Healthy When You Travel". Her first book was a travel narrative, "Lemurs of the Lost World". So far, 10 of her books have been books published.

Dr Jane has lived in various very remote corners of the globe and has spent about 15 years in South Asia. Jane’s third son made his first big trip – to Nepal – at the age of three weeks. Experiences of living in rural Nepal proved a rich resource for Jane's writing as her travel biography, her first novel and her adventure stories for children bear witness.

She practised as a general practitioner / family physician for 15 years in Cambridgeshire and boasts more letters after her name than in it; she teaches extensively on travel health including an annual commitment to a workshop on diarrhoea at the University of Cambridge medical school. She has written more than 200 health features for Wanderlust magazine and her words have been published in national newspapers and the academic press. She is proud to have a tale in two of Bradt's travel anthologies, and also several in "Fifty Camels and She's Yours.".

In September 2017 she moved back to Nepal and is dividing her time between Kathmandu and Cambridge. Her Nepal photos are on Instagram @longdropdoc and she tweets (occasionally) also as @longdropdoc. Her blogs are on her author website www.wilson-howarth.com where there are photogalleries relating to her books.

Reviews

[Iona McConnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book as I was travelling to India with my elderly father and also going to south America later in the year. Lots of useful information covering everything you could possibly encounter and sensible advice on dealing with problems when they arise. Gets the balance right between being aware of issues but also not scare mongering!

[Louise Bloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must have for travel especially in the tropics!

[Gagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot about bugs, bites and especially my bowels.

[Lora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good reference material in plain English (but not too simple). She mentions just about everything one would encounter traveling.