Pre-Travel Medical Preparation of Business and Occupational Travelers: An Analysis of the Global TravEpiNet Consortium, 2009 to 2012

Khan, Nomana M.; Jentes, Emily S.; Brown, Clive; Han, Pauline; Rao, Sowmya R.; Kozarsky, Phyllis; Hagmann, Stefan H.F.; LaRocque, Regina C.; Ryan, Edward T.

Seeking pre-travel care within 2 weeks of travel makes travelers less likely to complete or maximally benefit from recommended vaccine regimens; starting malaria chemoprophylaxis or filling other recommended prescriptions may also be compromised. In support of this, we found that GTEN clinicians reported insufficient time for some business travelers to complete the series of JE, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and rabies vaccines. Travelers would benefit from having their pre-travel health consultations as soon as travel is booked to complete or follow accelerated vaccine schedules. Many companies make pre-travel health consultations mandatory during the airline ticket-issuing process. 16 Alternatively, if general business travel is anticipated, travelers should consider pre-emptive vaccination to ensure full coverage before last-minute travel. 17 Although GTEN does not collect information on risk perception, last minute travelers believe that their disease risk is lower. 18 Travelers should also consider the placement of their international worksites; because many facilities are located outside of cities, travelers and clinicians need to consider both urban and peri-urban exposures to mosquitoes, and thus mosquito-borne illnesses. Pre-travel health consultations sought well in advance ensures that proper risk assessments and guidance can be acted upon for each traveler's destination.