Dengue fever, endemic in many tropical and subtropical countries, is a major cause of illness in travelers, but severe dengue fever and resulting hospitalizations or deaths are rare in this population. There are two vaccines against dengue fever, Dengvaxia® and Qdenga®. While there is no recommendation for Dengvaxia® for use in travelers, Qdenga® has been approved for travelers in many European countries since December 2022. Swissmedic's approval for use in Switzerland is expected in the second half of 2024.
The Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine (EKRM) has evaluated the published and unpublished data on the Qdenga® vaccine and makes the following recommendation:
Travel health advisors should provide information in plain language about the complexities and risk-benefit trade-offs of using dengue vaccines in travelers.
Details of the position statement can be found at LINK.
According to the WHO, 18 countries submitted their epidemiological data on meningitis between February 18 and March 3, 2024 (week 7 to 9).
Epidemics:
Warnings:
Further information:
Previous epidemics and warnings can be found under News on www.healthytravel.ch
Seasonal meningitis epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa occur mainly during the dry season, usually from December to June. They decline rapidly with the onset of the rains. In general, the meningococcal serogroups A, C, W and X are responsible for these outbreaks. The disease spreads from person to person by droplets. If symptoms (high fever, severe headache and vomiting) occur, a doctor should be consulted immediately and antibiotic therapy started, as the disease can lead to life-threatening conditions within hours. Vaccination against the most important strains of meningitis is available as a prophylaxis for adults and children over 1 year of age.
The number of dengue patients in Thailand has reached 17,783 cases so far in 2024, more than twice as many as in the corresponding period in 2023.
Optimal protection against mosquito bites around the clock, even in cities (during the day against dengue, chikungunya, Zika). In case of fever: paracetamol products and hydration. Avoid taking medication containing acetylsalicylic acid (e.g. Aspirin®) if you have a fever, as this can increase the risk of bleeding during a dengue infection. However, do not stop taking medicines containing acetylsalicylic acid if they are already part of your regular treatment for an underlying condition.
Based on the available data, many European countries and the Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine (EKRM) currently recommend vaccination with Qdenga® only for certain travelers and in special situations. Advice from a specialist in tropical and travel medicine is therefore recommended.
0