INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization declared the recent international spread of wild poliovirus a public health emergency of international concern on May 5, 2014. Temporary recommendations were issued to reduce the risk of further spread of the disease, focusing on countries currently exporting wild poliovirus and those with individuals infected with wild poliovirus but not exporting the virus to other countries. The purpose of this statement is to review the implications of the new temporary recommendations for Canadian travellers and to provide guidance for health care practitioners for the prevention of poliomyelitis (polio) in travellers from Canada. METHODS: This statement was developed by the Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT) and is designed to complement the Canadian Immunization Guide, a comprehensive resource on immunization. CATMAT has taken into consideration both the need for protection and the potential for adverse effects of vaccination. BACKGROUND: Polio is a highly infectious, vaccine-preventable, viral disease. Though polio is asymptomatic in the majority of cases, in approximately 1% it attacks the central nervous system and leads to paralysis. EPIDEMIOLOGY AND RISK TO TRAVELLER: Canada was declared free of wild poliovirus in 1994 and cases since then have been associated with importations and very rarely (1 per 2.7 million doses) to vaccine-associated paralytic polio with the use of oral poliovirus vaccine. There is still a risk to travellers going to regions outside those in which polio has been eliminated. PREVENTION: Routine vaccination of children and adults is recommended in Canada. Complete information about polio vaccine recommendations in Canada is available in the most recent version of the Canadian Immunization Guide. Travellers should ensure that they are vaccinated against polio before travelling to countries where polio is known or suspected to be circulating.
INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization declared the recent international spread of wild poliovirus a public health emergency of international concern on May 5, 2014. Temporary recommendations were issued to reduce the risk of further spread of the disease, focusing on countries currently exporting wild poliovirus and those with individuals infected with wild poliovirus but not exporting the virus to other countries. The purpose of this statement is to review the implications of the new temporary recommendations for Canadian travellers and to provide guidance for health care practitioners for the prevention of poliomyelitis (polio) in travellers from Canada. METHODS: This statement was developed by the Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT) and is designed to complement the Canadian Immunization Guide, a comprehensive resource on immunization. CATMAT has taken into consideration both the need for protection and the potential for adverse effects of vaccination. BACKGROUND: Polio is a highly infectious, vaccine-preventable, viral disease. Though polio is asymptomatic in the majority of cases, in approximately 1% it attacks the central nervous system and leads to paralysis. EPIDEMIOLOGY AND RISK TO TRAVELLER: Canada was declared free of wild poliovirus in 1994 and cases since then have been associated with importations and very rarely (1 per 2.7 million doses) to vaccine-associated paralytic polio with the use of oral poliovirus vaccine. There is still a risk to travellers going to regions outside those in which polio has been eliminated. PREVENTION: Routine vaccination of children and adults is recommended in Canada. Complete information about polio vaccine recommendations in Canada is available in the most recent version of the Canadian Immunization Guide. Travellers should ensure that they are vaccinated against polio before travelling to countries where polio is known or suspected to be circulating.