Travel vaccines throughout history

Abstract

Vaccinations are an important component of travel medicine. Beyond protection of travelers, vaccines are administered to prevent the importation of vaccine-preventable diseases at home and at destination. Proof of immunization to travel dates back to the first smallpox vaccine, developed by Edward Jenner in 1796. However, it took one century to generate the next vaccines against cholera, rabies, and typhoid fever. During the 20th century the armamentarium of vaccines used in travelers largely expanded with yellow fever, poliomyelitis, tetravalent meningococcal, and hepatitis A vaccines. The International Certificate of Inoculation and Vaccination was implemented in 1933. Currently there are vaccines administered to travelers following risk assessment, but also vaccines required according to the 2005 International Health Regulations and vaccines required at certain countries. Finally, within less than one year after the declaration of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the first COVID-19 vaccines were launched and approved for emergency use to control the pandemic. Despite practical and ethical challenges, COVID-19 vaccine verifications have been widely used since spring 2021 in many activities, including international travel. In this article, we review the course of development of travel vaccines focusing on those for which a proof of vaccination has been or is required.

Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis and vaccination: A disproportionality analysis

“…The cases of anti-NMDAR encephalitis reported to have occurred after vaccination against COVID-19, yellow fever, rabies, typhoid fever and hepatitis A/B were observed principally among adults. This can be explained by the fact that adults may get these vaccines for the purposes of travel to endemic areas, or professional exposure ( Haviari et al, 2015 ; Freedman and Chen, 2019 ; Pavli and Maltezou, 2022 ). In the worldwide vaccine strategy aimed at eradicating (or controlling) the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, children, adolescents and young adults were not prioritized to receive vaccines given the low rate of severe forms of disease among these groups, thus explaining the higher age among reported cases ( Russell and Greenwood, 2021 ).…”

Public Health Importance of Emporiatrics: A Review

“…Vaccination laws may vary from one nation to another depending on their motivation, layout, target audience, and enforcement. The onset or eradication of epidemics, major related morbidity and mortality, lack of treatment, impact on tourism, and the introduction of new vaccinations are some factors that may affect vaccination policies and regulations for tourists [ 38 ].…”

Divergent COVID-19 vaccine policies: Policy mapping of ten European countries

“…Travel medicine specialists have frequently been asked to consider the impact of divergent vaccine policies [ 16 ]. As early as the 1980s, physicians and policymakers within the European region recognized the challenges associated with attempts to harmonize childhood vaccinations [ 17 ].…”