CDC issues health advisory on polio vaccination for international travelers
The CDC issued a health advisory last week on polio vaccination for international travelers.
The CDC issued a health advisory last week on polio vaccination for international travelers.
In May, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the international spread of polio to be a “public health emergency of international concern” and issued new vaccination requirements for travelers. As a result, the CDC issued a health advisory noting that U.S. clinicians should be aware of possible new vaccination requirements for patients planning to travel for longer than 4 weeks to countries with ongoing poliovirus transmission.
According to the WHO, 3 countries—Cameroon, Pakistan, and Syria (Syrian Arab Republic)—have been designated as “exporting wild poliovirus” and should “ensure” recent (4 to 52 weeks before travel) polio boosters among all departing residents and long-term travelers of more than 4 weeks. An additional 7 countries—Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Somalia, and Nigeria—have been designated as “infected with wild poliovirus” and should “encourage” recent polio vaccination boosters among residents and long-term travelers.
The CDC noted that it routinely recommends full vaccination against polio for anyone planning to travel to a polio-affected country and a one-time booster dose of polio vaccine for adults. Anyone who stays in one of the recently named polio-affected countries for more than 4 weeks may be required to have a polio booster shot within the 4 weeks to 12 months prior to departure from that country. The CDC recommends that this booster be documented in patients' yellow International Certificate of Vaccination to avoid delays in transit or forced vaccination.
More information on the CDC's health advisory is available online.