7 July 2004: Poliomyelitis in Nigeria

On 30 June 2004, the WHO urged travellers to Nigeria to ensure they are up to date with polio vaccination. This reinforces existing recommendations that travellers to Nigeria as well as to other countries considered a risk for polio, should be protected against polio. The WHO advice is in response to ongoing cases of polio in northern Nigeria since suspension of polio immunization campaigns in this region last year. The government in the affected region of Nigeria has agreed to resume the polio immunisation programme this month.

Cases of poliomyelitis linked to the outbreak in Nigeria have been reported in several African countries where polio has recently been eradicated. Most of these countries are in close proximity to Nigeria, with the exception of Botswana where a single case of polio was reported in April. African countries that have reported one or more cases related to this outbreak include Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Sudan.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is striving to eradicate polio; six countries remain endemic: Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Niger, Nigeria and Egypt. As of the week of 6 July 2004, the polio case count for 2004 from endemic countries was: Nigeria 259; Niger 18; Pakistan 17; India 16; Afghanistan 3 and Egypt 1.

All travellers should ensure that they are protected against polio prior to travel to countries considered a risk for polio, and are advised to seek specialist travel health advice regarding this. For travellers who have completed their primary series against polio, this means they should receive a booster dose of vaccine if more than 10 years have elapsed since their last polio vaccination.

Links to further information

World Health Organisation www.who.int
Global Polio Eradication Initiative www.polioeradication.org