[Vaccinations for overseas travelers--new evidence and recommendations]

Abstract

Vaccinations are an easy and highly effective way to keep travellers healthy. There are few problems with compliance, as all vaccinations are administered pretravel and many vaccines offer protection rates > 95% after a single dose (e.g. hepatitis A, yellow fever). Vaccination of hepatitis A and diphtheriatetanus are recommended for all developing countries. Polio is still indicated for Asia and Africa. Hepatitis B, if possible in combination with A, is recommended for persons travelling for > 30 days, travellers < 35 years, and for people showing special risk behaviour (e.g. high-risk sports, unprotected sexual intercourse). Depending on destination and kind and duration of travel, further vaccinations have to be considered, e.g.: yellow fever (endemic areas, rule of entry), rabies (trekking, travel in remote areas), typhoid fever (Indian sub-continent), meningococcal meningitis (meningitis belt, pilgrims to Saudi-Arabia), tick-borne encephalitis (endemic areas in Europe and Asia), influenza (persons at special risk of complications), Japanese encephalitis (low standard travel in rural areas of Southeast Asia > 30 days), measles (particularly endemic in Africa). Cholera vaccination is virtually never indicated. Several vaccines can be delivered at the same time.