Health Canada Advisory - Polio

Health Canada has issued an advisory to travellers to the DR to get a polio shot. There have been cases of polio this past year and they are urging travellers to this destination to contact their doctor and make sure their immunization is up-to-date.

Please check out the Health Canada website for further info...

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/

The CDC - Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta - advice the same thing. More info on http://www.cdc.gov/travel/other/polio-hispaniola.htm

Regards,
Susanne

And the shot last for life and it's free.

I am concerned about the polio advisory recentely posted on the message board.

Both my travel companion and I and I have been imunized within the last 15yrs. I checked the Health Canada web-site mentioned earlier, and it wasn't very clear- should people get re-imunized?

I had a similar warning before vacationing in Venezuela, and did not go through the recommeneded 7 different shots they advised, (all through the bum to boot) maily because we were in a resort and avoided local water or fun with locals.

So, if anyone knows, is this very serious, or just a precautoinary measure that is routinely advised when travelling to the carribbean.

I appreciate any advice - as I know there are many people travelling to the DR for the Christmas break.

And if you were wondering about my comment - "avoiding fun with locals" - we had a great time with the Venezuelans - I meant sexual contact. Just wanted to clarify that.

The last booster I received for polio was October 2, 1990 According to my International certificates of vaccination from Health & Welfare Canada the type of vaccine was "salt." .5ml/sc and they told me at that time it was good for 10 years. Last September when I went back for the booster they told me that I did not need it since the rule changed and they wrote in the certificate "for life".

Christina, try to look on the CDC page. I have included the link in my previous post. It is fairly specific.

Apart from that - always remember to check with your own doctor. He or she knows you best and can answer most of your questions straight away.

Enjoy your trip,

Regards,
Susanne

Here is the full text of Helath Canada's advice:

Dominican Republic & Haiti
Between July 12 and December 8, 2000, a total of 7 confirmed cases of poliovirus type 1 have been reported by both the Ministries of Health of the Dominican Republic (DR) and Haiti, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). In the DR, an additional 13 cases of acute flaccid paralysis are now being studied for the presence of polio. In Haiti, a single confirmed case of type 1 virus has been reported to date.

The current outbreak of poliomyelitis in Dominican Republic and Haiti raises concern because the Western Hemisphere has been free of cases of wild poliovirus since 1991. As well, this outbreak appears to be caused by an unusual derivative of the Sabin type 1 oral poliovirus vaccine.

A mass vaccination campaign has already started in the Dominican Republic. In Haiti, nationwide vaccination is planned for January through March 2001. The Ministries of Health of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, with the assistance of PAHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are working to determine the extent and cause of this polio outbreak.

Source: Pan American Health Organization

Recommendations
Health Canada strongly recommends that Canadian international travellers contact a physician or travel medicine clinic prior to departure for an individual risk assessment to determine their need for immunizations.

For all travel, travellers should ensure that their routine (childhood) immunizations -- diphtheria, whooping cough (pertussis), tetanus, polio, measles, mumps and rubella -- are up to date.

Canadians travelling to Haiti, the DR or the islands of Cape Verde at this time are advised to ensure that their polio vaccination status is up to date. Primary immunization of children and, if indicated, primary immunization of adults or a booster dose for adults, are recommended in accordance with the recommendations of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.