CDC Update : Change in Injectable Polio Vaccine Recommendations

Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Clinical update: Changes in CDC Polio Vaccine Recommendations: August 30, 2013

Key Points

• Changes in CDC polio vaccine guidance for travelers now harmonize CDC recommendations with World Health Organization recommendations.
• CDC recommends that all international travelers be fully vaccinated against polio.
• An additional, one-time adult polio vaccine booster dose is recommended for travelers to certain countries.
• Although no human polio cases have been identified, environmental surveillance indicates that Israel has active poliovirus circulation. CDC is now recommending an adult polio vaccine booster dose for travelers to Israel.

Currently, endemic poliovirus circulation has never been interrupted in only 3 countries: Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Still, the affected areas within each of these countries have become smaller.

 

Because of the substantial progress of the polio eradication initiative in 2012–2013, and in order to harmonize CDC recommendations with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, CDC now recommends an adult IPV booster dose only for travelers to countries with active poliovirus circulation.
 

Countries are considered to have active poliovirus circulation if they have ongoing endemic circulation, active polio outbreaks, or environmental evidence of active wild poliovirus circulation.

 

In addition, CDC recommends an adult IPV booster dose for certain travelers to some countries that border areas with active poliovirus circulation. These recommendations are based on evidence of historical cross-border transmission.

 

The recommendations apply only to travelers with a high risk of exposure to someone with imported wild poliovirus (WPV) infection. These travelers would include those working in health care settings, refugee camps, or other humanitarian aid settings.

 

Source; CDC: Clinical update: Polio vaccine guidance for travelers and note on travel to Isael.

Comments: Even though India has polio free for more than 2 years now (last wild polio case was in Jan 2011), it is important to remember that we border two (out of a total of only 3 countries) of the countries that still have active Polio cases, namely Pakistan & Afghanistan. Hence, it is recommended for travelers coming to India to still ensure that they take a single dose of Polio vaccine when coming to India. TravelSafe clinics across the country provide IPV for travelers at a very affordable price (approximately USD 10 per dose).