United States
A high standard of dental care is available throughout the USA
Supplies of international medications are available from both the hospitals and private pharmacies in the USA
Blood supplies are considered safe and screened to international standards
Recent medical and dental exams should ensure that the traveler is in good health. Carry appropriate health and accident insurance documents and copies of any important medical records. Bring an adequate supply of all prescription and other medications as well as any necessary personal hygiene items, including a spare pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses if necessary.
All routine vaccines (such as DTP or Td, Hib, MMR, polio, varicella, influenza and pneumococcal) should be kept up to date as a matter of good health practice unrelated to travel.
The incidence of communicable diseases is such that they are unlikely to prove a hazard for the international traveler greater than that found in his own country. There are, of course, health risks, but in general the precautions required are minimal.
Insect-borne illness:
Encephalitis - occurs
Human granulocyte ehrlichiosis (HGE) - occurs (spread by the same deer tick that carries Lyme disease; easily treatable but only responds to doxycycline; potentially fatal; cases have been reported in northwestern Wisconsin, northeastern Minnesota, Connecticut, and New York)
Lyme disease - occurs (cases have recently been reported from all but 6 states [Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Mississippi, Montana, and North Dakota] with 88% reported from Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Wisconsin; the first 6 states account for the most substantial increase; risk for exposure can vary significantly within states and be highly concentrated in specific areas; highest risk is from May to August in the northeast and north central regions and from January to May in the Pacific region)
Plague - occurs (isolated foci in southwest)
Rocky Mountain spotted fever - occurs
Other hazards:
High levels of immunization coverage have reduced the incidence of diseases such as measles and diphtheria.
Influenza risk extends from November to April.
Rabies - occurs in wildlife, including bats (an increased need for precaution in the Mid-Atlantic states [Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington DC] has been noted due to a continuing increase of rabies incidence in wild animals both in rural and urban areas. Travelers are advised to avoid contact with raccoons, foxes, skunks, groundhogs and bats)
Tularemia - occurs
None.
