1. You are not alone. We understand how difficult and distressing this experience can be.

Over the years, we have seen travelers who came to our clinic seeking help for unexplained symptoms that have persisted for months or years. Common symptoms include crawling or biting sensations, itching, sleep problems, and loss of energy. Many have already consulted several doctors and specialists in their home countries, undergone extensive testing, or tried various antiparasitic medications, yet their symptoms persist.

We understand why they fly to visit our clinic, even from thousands of miles away. They hope that we, as tropical medicine specialists in Thailand, might find something that has been hidden in their body for a long time and could offer something different.

2. Who are we, and what do we do?

Thai Travel Clinic and the Parasite Excellence Clinic are specialized tropical and travel medicine clinics at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mahidol University, Thailand. Our hospital is a teaching hospital and a leading academic center for tropical medicine, with extensive research and publications in the field. Our clinical team has long experience in diagnosing and treating tropical diseases from around the world, including conditions seen in international travelers.

3. Before booking a flight, please email us first.

Please email us with details of your symptoms, travel history, and illness history. Also include your previous medical records, laboratory results, medication list, and any other relevant documents — especially a referral note from a doctor in your home country. This allows our doctors to review your history in advance and give you an honest view of whether a visit to our clinic is likely to help.

Please allow one to two weeks for a reply. Due to the large number of requests we receive, we may not be able to provide detailed reviews of medical records or respond to every inquiry. In selected cases, we may offer a special clinic appointment arranged by email. Appointments for these complex cases must be confirmed in advance. Online booking and walk-in consultations are not available for this particular service.

Here is our official inquiries email: [email protected]. Please also mention in the email that you have read this page before writing to us. 

4. What we can and cannot do?

During your clinic visit, our doctors will review and clarify your medical history, symptoms, and documents, and perform a thorough physical examination. We will also assess any specimen you bring, when appropriate. We may recommend blood, stool, or urine tests, along with specific parasitology tests. Results from basic laboratory tests may be available the same day, while specialized parasite tests usually take two to three weeks or sometimes longer.

Please be informed that all investigations and treatments are determined by our physicians according to the standard medical practice and their professional judgment. Additional laboratory tests, imaging, or antiparasitic medications will not be provided on request when there is no appropriate medical indication. Please also note that MRI and CT imaging are not available at our hospital; if such investigations are clinically needed, they would have to be arranged elsewhere.

5. Is it possible that our clinic may not find a parasite causing your symptoms?

Yes. But before we reach that conclusion, we will carefully review all available evidence. In some cases, even after a thorough assessment, we may not find any evidence of parasitic infection, and if that is the case, we will explain it clearly. We understand how deeply disappointing that can be, especially after traveling thousands of miles in search of answers.

Anyway, as a teaching hospital, we are committed to the highest medical and ethical standards. We cannot simply confirm a diagnosis because a patient strongly believes it to be true. On the other hand, we will not dismiss a patient’s concerns and suffering. Our responsibility is to offer our best medical judgment, explain the evidence, acknowledge uncertainty where it exists, and recommend the most appropriate next steps.

6. Can symptoms be real even when no parasites are found?

Yes. Your symptoms are real — they are what you feel. However, parasitic infestation is one of several possible causes. There are other physical illnesses that might produce similar symptoms, and in some cases patients may have conditions in which the body itself produces the sensation of movement, biting, or crawling, without an external cause. We need to consider all possible causes of what you are experiencing.

Please remember: Finding no evidence of parasites does not mean that your suffering is being dismissed. Sometimes it means that we need to look beyond parasites to find a more effective path toward recovery.

7. Is recovery possible?

Yes. There is always hope. If we find a parasitic infection, we will recommend appropriate treatment — this is our expertise. If we do not find a parasite, we might try again until we are confident that no parasitic infection is present. In that case, we will consider other possible causes and we will work with you to understand what else might be causing your symptoms. Even when the underlying cause cannot be identified, we can often help by focusing on the relief of symptoms, and in many cases medication genuinely helps.

Anyway, to be honest: Treatment and recovery are not always easy. It takes time, effort, and — above all — trust and collaboration between patient and doctor. We have seen patients who struggled for years before eventually improving with appropriate care. Mutual respect and understanding are always key to success in this complex problem.

8. Our commitments to you, and what we ask in return

If you visit our clinic, we are committed to treating you with dignity, compassion, and respect. We understand that prolonged illness, uncertainty, and disappointment can be emotionally exhausting. You are always welcome to ask questions, express concerns, seek clarification, or even respectfully disagree with our medical recommendations.

At the same time, we kindly ask for your understanding and cooperation. We have a responsibility to protect our doctors, nurses, staff, other patients, and visitors. We do not tolerate threats, intimidation, abusive language, physical aggression, sexual harassment, or other behavior that compromises the safety and dignity of people in our clinic. Please see our policy, Our Commitment to Respectful and Safe Care, for more information.

9. A final word, and our wishes for you

Thank you for reading this far. We hope this has given you a clearer picture of how we approach this difficult problem and what we are honestly able to offer. Again, we cannot promise that we will find the answer you are looking for. But we can promise to approach your concerns with compassion, scientific evidence, and our best professional judgment. If you feel that our services are appropriate for your needs and would like to request an appointment, please email us and wait for our response before making travel arrangements. We wish you all the best.