Routine Vaccination for Travelers from Emerging Countries: Epidemiological Profile of a Public Travel Medicine Clinic in Sao Paulo/Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Emerging countries have increased their presence in international travel (46.8% of travels). Pre- and post-travel consultations may provide insights about travelers’ health. Methods: A retrospective descriptive analysis of the medical data of all travelers assisted at Ambulatório dos Viajantes, a free public health clinic for travelers in São Paulo, Brazil, from January to December 2016 was performed. The patients were profiled based on post-travel consultation data and screened by gender, age according to the United Nations working-age population distribution (0-14 years, children; 15-24 years, youths; 25-65 years, working age; over 65 years, older persons), travel destination, and diseases that affected travelers. Results: In 2016 (n=280 appointments), 93.92% of clients received some type of vaccine (regular or booster dose). Post-travel consultations (n=27; 9.64%) were predominantly male (62.96% of appointments) and comprised cases of malaria (44.4%; 6 positive cases of Plasmodium falciparum, 4 positive cases of Plasmodium vivax, and 2 unclassified), fever (7.4%), AGE - acute gastroenteritis (7.4%), hepatitis A (3.7%), nausea (3.7%), insect bite (3.7%), abdominal pain (3.7%), arthralgia (3.7%), vaginal discharge (3.7%), and cases under investigation (18.5%). Brazilian travelers presented the same incidence of post-travel counseling as developed countries’ travel medicine clinics (~9%). Conclusion: Immunization in pre-travel counseling may reduce the importation of preventable infectious diseases and increase Brazilians’ traveler vaccine coverage, a current concern in the country.