2016-04-16
Influenza in long-term Dutch travelers in the tropics: Symptoms and infections
Publication
Publication
BMC Infectious Diseases , Volume 16 - Issue 1
Background: Influenza is a common infection among travelers, and attack rates are well documented in short-term travelers and holiday makers. Little data exists on long-term, non-expatriate travelers. Methods: This was a prospective mono-centre study of immunocompetent, Dutch travelers aged ≥18 to 64 years. It was conducted at the Public Health Service travel clinic in Amsterdam from December 2008 to September 2011, and included all travelers intending to travel to a tropical or sub-tropical country. Results: Among 602 Dutch long-term travelers to tropical regions, 82 % had protective influenza antibody titres pre-travel. The influenza attack rate of serologically confirmed infection during travel was 15 %, and of symptomatic infection was 6.3 % (fever alone) and 2 % (ILI), respectively. Conclusions: The attack rate in this study is similar to seasonal rates of infection in the general population. Influenza vaccination pre-travel is therefore most important for people at risk of medical complications due to influenza.
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| doi.org/10.1186/s12879-016-1502-6, hdl.handle.net/1765/85985 | |
| BMC Infectious Diseases | |
| Organisation | Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam |
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Whelan, J., Rimmelzwaan, G., van den Hoek, A., Belderok, S.-M., & Sonder, G. (2016). Influenza in long-term Dutch travelers in the tropics: Symptoms and infections. BMC Infectious Diseases, 16(1). doi:10.1186/s12879-016-1502-6 |
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