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Travel-related vaccines
1Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Infectious Disease Clinics of North America
|April 17, 2001
Summary
Travelers face higher infection risks, but vaccines are crucial for prevention. More research is urgently needed on travel vaccines for elderly and immunocompromised individuals due to potential adverse events.
Area of Science:
- Travel medicine
- Vaccinology
- Geriatric medicine
Background:
- Global travel increases exposure to infectious diseases, necessitating pre-travel health preparations.
- Routine and travel-specific vaccines are vital for preventing infections in travelers.
- Vulnerable populations, including the elderly and immunocompromised, represent a growing segment of travelers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the increased infection risk for travelers.
- To emphasize the importance of vaccination in pre-travel preparation.
- To address the knowledge gap regarding vaccine efficacy and safety in elderly and immunocompromised travelers.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on travel-related infections and vaccines.
- Analysis of studies focusing on vaccine immunogenicity, efficacy, and adverse effects.
- Consideration of recent adverse event reports in elderly populations receiving yellow fever vaccine.
Main Results:
- Vaccines significantly reduce the risk of many travel-related infections.
- Current vaccine studies often exclude elderly and immunocompromised individuals, limiting applicability.
- Elderly populations may experience slower, less effective immune responses and potentially more adverse events.
Conclusions:
- There is an urgent need for studies on travel vaccines in elderly and immunocompromised populations.
- Understanding vaccine use in older adults is critical for ensuring their safety and efficacy.
- Alternative protective measures may be necessary for these at-risk traveler groups.