Pre-exposure rabies vaccination among US international travelers: findings from the global TravEpiNet consortium.

BACKGROUND: People who travel to areas with high rabies endemicity and have animal contact are at increased risk for rabies exposure. We examined characteristics of international travelers queried regarding rabies vaccination during pretravel consultations at Global TravEpiNet (GTEN) practices during 2009-2010. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed bivariate and multivariable analyses of data collected from 18 GTEN clinics. Travel destinations were classified by strength level of rabies vaccination recommendation. RESULTS: Of 13,235 travelers, 226 (2%) reported previous rabies vaccination, and 406 (3%) received rabies vaccine at the consultation. Common travel purposes for these 406 travelers were leisure (26%), research/education (17%), and nonmedical service work (14%). Excluding the 226 who were previously vaccinated, 8070 (62%) of 13,009 travelers intended to visit one or more countries with a strong recommendation for rabies vaccination; 1675 (21%) of these 8070 intended to travel for 1 month or more. Among these 1675 travelers, 145 (9%) were vaccinated, 498 (30%) declined vaccination, 832 (50%) had itineraries that clinicians determined did not indicate vaccination, and 200 (12%) remained unvaccinated for other reasons. In both bivariate and multivariate analyses, travelers with trip durations >6 months versus 1-3 months (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=4.9 [95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1, 11.4]) and those traveling for "research/education" or to "provide medical care" (adjusted OR=5.1 [95% CI 1.9, 13.7] and 9.5 [95% CI 2.2, 40.8], respectively), compared with leisure travelers, were more likely to receive rabies vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Few travelers at GTEN clinics received rabies vaccine, although many planned trips 1 month long or more to a strong-recommendation country. Clinicians often determined that vaccine was not indicated, and travelers often declined vaccine when it was offered. The decision to vaccinate should take into account the strength of the vaccine recommendation at the destination country, duration of stay, availability of postexposure prophylaxis, potential for exposure to animals, and likelihood of recurrent travel to high-risk destinations.

Pneumococcal vaccination in the emergency department: an assessment of need.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Immunization against Streptococcus pneumoniae with the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine has been shown to be cost-effective for prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease. Yet 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is widely underused, particularly among ethnic minorities. The objectives of this survey are to determine the rate of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine vaccination among all adult patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) of a county-based, urban, tertiary care medical center; the willingness of patients to receive 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine; and reasons for nonvaccination. METHODS: A quality assurance survey was performed in the ED during 3 days in September 2002. A survey was developed to determine 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine vaccination rates and eligibility according to indications and contraindications established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Descriptive statistics were performed to quantify the proportion of patients who were immunized, eligible, and willing to receive 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine and reasons for nonvaccination. RESULTS: A total of 250 patients of 1,535 registered in the ED were surveyed during the 3-day period. Only 48 (19%) had a primary care provider. The majority of patients were Hispanic (73%). Only 22 (9%) patients had received the vaccine. A total of 66 (26%) patients fit the CDC eligibility criteria for 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, and 59 (89%) of these patients were willing to receive the vaccine during their ED visit. Most patients (79%) were eligible to receive 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine due to their comorbid illnesses. CONCLUSION: In the ED of our county-based urban medical center, 26% of patients were eligible for 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine; the majority of patients were Hispanic, unaware of the vaccine's existence, and willing to receive it during their ED visit. These data underscore a large unmet public health need among ethnic minorities in the ED.