Emergencies
Certain circumstances require you to seek help as soon as possible: when you returned from abroad and have a fever, when you suspect having been exposed to HIV, and when you were bitten by an animal while travelling.
Serious complaints after travelling
Serious complaints include:
Fever
Severe diarrhoea
Extensive skin rashes
Exposure to HIV
If you believe you have been exposed to HIV, you need to act quickly. Treatment with antiretroviral drugs (PEP, short for post-exposure prophylaxis) reduces the chance of an HIV infection. The treatment has to start within 72 hours after exposure to HIV.
Exposure to rabies
If you were bitten by a dog, monkey, cat or bat during your travels, treatment with PEP should be started as soon as possible. You will receive a series of injections of the rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin.
Contact
During office hours
Contact us as soon as possible during office hours (on weekdays, from 9am till 5pm). We'll discuss whether treatment should be considered.
Institute of Tropical Medicine
medsec@itg.be
+32 (0)3 247 66 66
Outside office hours
Contact the Antwerp University Hospital (Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen, UZA). Inform them if we are following your case as well.
Antwerp University Hospital
+32 (0)3 821 30 00