25 November 2008

Changes to the NaTHNaC Country Information Pages: Polio

The NaTHNaC Country Information Pages provide detailed, evidence-based country-specific information and recommendations for vaccine preventable and many non-vaccine preventable risks. The information on these pages is updated as new information becomes available; it is also reviewed on a periodic basis. In November 2008 NaTHNaC reviewed and updated the polio information on the Country Information Pages.

Current polio information:

All travellers should complete a primary vaccination course for polio according to the UK schedule.

Travellers to the following countries should receive a booster dose of polio-containing vaccine if they have not received one in the previous 10 years:

Countries with endemic polio transmission:

• Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, Pakistan

Countries reporting cases of polio related to importation since January 2006:

• Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Mali, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Yemen.

Countries not reporting cases since January 2006, but with wild type poliovirus identified in environmental samples in that time:

• Egypt

Due to the absence of reported polio cases since January 2006, a booster dose of polio-containing vaccine is no longer recommended for travellers to the following countries:

• Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, Eritrea, Guinea, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia.

Countries located close to areas where poliovirus is still circulating are at risk of re-introduction. NaTHNaC monitor the global polio situation, as detailed by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and World Health Organization, and make changes as new information is available.

Polio is a virus transmitted through food and water. Travellers to areas with ongoing polio transmission should practice strict food and water hygiene. More information on polio can be found on the NaTHNaC Health Information Sheet on polio.

Links

NaTHNaC Country Information Pages

NaTHNaC Outbreak Surveillance Search

NaTHNaC Health Information Sheet on polio

Global Polio Eradication Initiative

World Health Organization: Polio