INTRODUCTION

This book is published annually by the Division of Quarantine, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for use as a reference by health departments, physicians, travel agencies, international airlines, shipping companies, and other private and public agencies that advise international travelers concerning the risks they might encounter when visiting other countries. It specifies the vaccinations required by different countries and includes information on measures for travelers to take to protect their health and facilitate their travel.

The purpose of the International Health Regulations (IHR) adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) is to ensure maximum security against the international spread of diseases with minimum interference with world traffic. In addition to the quarantinable diseases (cholera, yellow fever, and plague), covered by the IHR, there are other conditions of importance to travelers, their families, and to the community when the travelers return home.

Because some countries require vaccination against yellow fever only if a traveler arrives from a country infected with this disease, it is essential that current information regarding infected areas be taken into consideration in determining whether vaccinations are required. The Division of Quarantine publishes a biweekly "Summary of Health Information for International Travel" (also known as the Blue Sheet) to show where cholera and yellow fever are being reported. The "Blue Sheet" is available by fax by calling (404) 332-4565 and requesting document 220022#.

Official changes in individual country vaccination requirements reported by WHO are published in the Blue Sheet. These changes should be entered in the Vaccination Certificate Requirements section of this book (pp. 17-77) to keep information on vaccination requirements current. This book, when kept up-to-date with changes in individual vaccination requirements, and utilized in conjunction with the Blue Sheet provides accurate information on vaccinations required for international travel.

Occasionally, the Division of Quarantine issues an Advisory Memorandum containing special recommendations or information about newly identified health problems associated with international travel. International travelers are advised to contact their local health department, physician, or private or public agency that advises international travelers at least 6 weeks prior to departure to obtain current health information on countries they plan to visit. They may also call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention automated travelers' hotline accessible from a touchtone phone 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week at (404) 332-4559. This system provides information on requirements and recommendations for the international traveler and is updated as needed. This information is also available by facsimile at (404) 332-4565. Also this same information is available on the Internet on the Worldwide Web at http://www.cdc.gov/ and by file transfer protocol at ftp.cdc.gov