Malaria. Exposure to malaria varies according to season and region. Travellers visiting central and sub-tropical parts of southern and western China from spring to autumn should consider taking an anti-malaria course of preventive treatment a week before travelling to a malarial zone. Consult your doctor for the most up-to-date treatment available.

Meningitis. The risk from Japanese B Encephalitis and Meningococcal Meningitis is negligible. Consult your doctor about immunisation.

Rabies. Only to be considered when travelling to more remote parts of the country, such as Tibet and Xinjiang. A pre-exposure vaccination prepares the body to produce antibodies more quickly and so gives one more time to get treatment after being bitten.

Yellow fever, cholera and smallpox vaccinations are not required, though as with other countries you may be asked for a certificate if you have recently been in a country affected by yellow fever.

AIDS, while still comparatively rare in China, is growing fast. Transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is most common through heterosexual contact, so the main risk to travellers stems from unprotected sex. If you are receiving medical treatment in China, check that all needles are effectively sterilized or (preferably) that disposable needles are used. Even so, the risk from AIDS from a contaminated needle is far smaller than that from Hepatitis B. Travellers are advised to carry disposable needles themselves, though this does occasionally attract suspicion from customs officials.

Health Tips : 

Upset stomachs. These are usually caused by food poisoning or contaminated water, though often a change in diet is sufficient to cause diarrhoea. Be careful where and what you eat: cut meat (especially pork) and fish out of your diet when travelling in poorer areas. Never drink tap water unless it has first been boiled or sterilised. Mineral water is widely available in China, but check bottle seals for tampering (used bottles are often refilled by vendors with unsafe water). Ice cubes are usually made from unboiled water, so don't put them in your drinks; instead, rest your glass on top of them. Remember to pack sterilisation tablets (containing iodine or chlorine compounds) and rehydration salts. If diarrhoea continues, you may have caught dysentery or giardia, so consult a doctor as soon as possible. If possible, remember to pack the antibiotic Flagyll to deal with possible cases of giardia.

Insect bites. Apart from being extremely irritating, insects pose a potential health risk in some parts of the country. Top-class hotels are usually insect-free, but travellers staying in cheaper accommodation should think about bringing their own mosquito nets and insect repellent cream or spray. Most hotels provide mosquito coils. DEET-based products are scarce in China, so remember to bring your own. When in the shower, always wear flip-flops to avoid worm bites or infection of cuts.

Altitude sickness. This only affects travellers in areas over 3,000 metres high - Tibet and parts of western Sichuan. Visitors - particularly teenagers - arriving by plane tend are more prone than those arriving by land. Common symptoms include dizziness, shortness of breath, heart pounding and headaches, all of them exacerbated by exercise. The best treatment is rest, plus non-Aspirin painkillers for headaches and oxygen (available in canister form in hotels and guesthouses) for shortness of breath. If possible, allow yourself time to adjust to the altitude by spending 3-4 days in Lhasa before travelling to higher areas. Acute mountain sickness can also be prevented by the drug Acetazolamide, known as Diamox. Serious cases of mountain sickness, caused when the body fails to acclimatise properly, are extremely dangerous. The only treatment is to lose altitude as quickly as possible. In Tibet, this means flying to Chengdu or Kathmandu immediately.

First-aid pack. It is worth taking along some medical items which are hard to find in China. These include:

· Anti-malaria medication (see above)
· Rehydration salts for cases of diarrhoea
· Painkillers (plus Aspirin or Panadol for fevers)
· Insect repellent (preferably DEET-based)
· Calamine lotion (to soothe insect bites)
· Band-Aid plasters and antiseptic wipes
· Diamox (for Tibet)
· New syringe needles in case injections are needed
· Flagyll tablets for Giardia (see above)