Contemplating a trip to an exotic land such as China usually conjures up the scary possibility of contracting strange and exotic diseases, too, but the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the GeoSentinel Surveillance Network say the biggest actual threat to the health of travelers to China is from biting dogs and heavily polluted air.

To better prepare travelers to Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games in August, these two agencies reviewed medical data from 1998 to 2007 involving 2,500 people who had traveled to China during that time. The GeoSentinel Surveillance Network tracks data on travel-related health issues reported by 41 clinics specializing in travel medicine around the world. The International Society of Travel Medicine and the CDC founded the network.

More travelers sought treatment, which sometimes included hospitalization, for asthma, bronchitis, and similar respiratory illnesses than for any other reason while traveling in China.

China ranks Number 2 in human rabies cases worldwide and dog bites can transmit the disease to humans. Reports of dog bites and injuries such as strains and sprains were the two most common reasons for travelers to China to seek medical care after leaving the country.

During the ten-year study period, there were no cases of dengue fever or malaria reported among travelers to China.

To enjoy the safest travel possible, the CDC advises all travelers to China to take these precautions:

• Seek advice from a travel medicine clinic four to six weeks before departure.
• Make sure all vaccinations are up to date.
• Wash hands and use sanitizers often to minimize the spread of respiratory or diarrheal illness.
• Stay away from all animals while in China. If a bite should occur, wash the bite wound at once and seek immediate care from a reliable medical facility.
• Wear shoes that are safe and comfortable for walking and be particularly mindful of the risk of injury when crossing streets and boarding public transportation.
• To minimize the risk of diarrhea, eat only fruits and vegetables you wash and peel yourself. Make sure all cooked foods are thoroughly cooked and served hot.

The Beijing Olympic Games are expected to draw 600,000 athletes and visitors from around the globe and more than 2 million Chinese spectators.