Travellers to and from endemic and reinfected regions should be protected by up to date vaccination against poliomyelitis (according to their national immunization schedules). Infected travellers are potential vectors for the transmission or reintroduction of the virus into polio-free regions.

Travellers to polio-infected regions who have received three or more doses of OPV (trivalent oral live attenuated polioviruses vaccine) in the past, should get another dose of polio vaccine before departure, and all unimmunized persons intending to travel to such regions require a complete course of vaccine.

Travellers from a polio-infected region should get a full course of vaccination preferably with OPV. Before departure, these travellers should leave their country with at least one dose of OPV. The enhanced inactivated polio vaccine (eIPV) is recommended for people with immune deficiencies. At present, several combined vaccines include the three polio inactivated virus, and are recommended for different age groups (several combinations of antigens).

For both types of vaccine (eIPV and OPV), the first three doses should be given at 6-8 week intervals, followed by a fourth dose one year after the third, and a fifth dose given 4-6 years after the fourth dose (schedule recommended for childhood). Both OPV and eIPV should be avoided in pregnancy.

Fernando Costa Silva, 1999 (last update: 2009)