The Travel Doctor
Traveller's medical & vaccination centre
Health Alerts
Travel Doctor TMVC provides the latest health and travel alerts, including updates from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Press the back button to return to the list of health alerts.
Polio in Senegal
Tuesday, 9 March, 2010
Although poliomyelitis is regarded as being endemic in 4 countries only- Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan - there has been spread over the past few years to neighbouring countries particularly in Africa. Senegal is the latest of these countries to report cases of polio.
The polio virus is mainly spread by ‘faeco-oral’ contamination – a common problem in countries with poor water and sanitation infrastructure – or by direct contact with an active case or carrier. A polio vaccination booster is recommended for all adults at least once for travellers to African countries or to the Indian sub-continent. This can be given separately or added to the tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis booster in one injection. The oral polio vaccination “drops” are no longer available in Australia.
