With more than three million passengers passing through yearly, Miami is the undisputed cruise capital of the world and the gateway to Caribbean and South and Central America.

In spite of admirable efforts made by cruise industry in terms of creating maintaining a clean and healthy shipboard environment, we learn periodically from the news regarding disease outbreaks on cruise ships.

In the vast majority of the times the problems occur while visiting the countries of destination.

In February 2004, a group of middle-aged novice travelers ventured to Costa Rica to tour the Braulio Carrillo National Park which rises and falls between cool high mountains and low torrid jungles, all of it washed by swift curving rivers and waterfalls.

Unknown to them at the time, this lovly pristine region was actually a mosquito-infested area fraught with health perils. Eight of the group members contracted traveler's diarrhea; four came down with typhoid fever, and two were infected with malaria.

Although such extreme cases are rare, tropical environments are havens for cultivation of exotic diseases and anyone planning to visit the Caribbean, Mexico, South and Central America should check into the health hazards at their destinations and take appropriate measures to protect their health before they leave.

Visit our Travel Medical Services page to learn more about preventative travel medicine, required and recommended vaccinations, and our customized approach to your travel immunizations.