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Meningococcal vaccination for international travellers from Greece visiting developing countries
Androula Pavli1, Panagiotis Katerelos2, Paraskevi Smeti1
1Travel Medicine Office, Hellenic Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Athens, Greece.
Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
|March 13, 2016
Summary
Meningococcal meningitis vaccination rates for Greek travelers are low, especially for high-risk groups like those visiting sub-Saharan Africa. Improved recommendations are needed to protect travelers from this serious disease.
Area of Science:
- Travel Medicine
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Meningococcal meningitis poses a significant public health threat, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa due to recurrent epidemics.
- While general traveler risk is low, specific populations face higher morbidity and mortality.
- Assessing meningococcal vaccination uptake among international travelers from Greece is crucial for public health planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the current meningococcal vaccination status of international travelers departing from Greece.
- To identify patterns and factors associated with meningococcal vaccine administration in this cohort.
- To inform and improve future vaccination recommendations for Greek travelers.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, questionnaire-based study was conducted over a five-year period (2009-2013).
- Data were collected from 5283 international travelers regarding their vaccination status, travel details, and accommodation.
- Statistical analysis was performed to determine associations between vaccine uptake and travel characteristics.
Main Results:
- Meningococcal tetravalent vaccine (A,C,W135,Y) was administered to 21.8% of the 5283 studied travelers.
- Vaccination rates varied significantly by destination (e.g., 73.1% for Middle East, 21.2% for sub-Saharan Africa) and purpose of travel (e.g., 95.3% for pilgrims, 17.4% for VFRs).
- Travel duration, accommodation type, and area of stay also showed statistically significant associations with vaccine administration.
Conclusions:
- Current meningococcal vaccination coverage among Greek travelers requires improvement.
- High-risk groups, including those visiting sub-Saharan Africa (especially during the dry season), VFRs, and business travelers, need targeted vaccination strategies.
- Enhanced public health initiatives and updated travel advisories are necessary to optimize meningococcal vaccine recommendations for travelers from Greece.
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