open access
Vol 68, No 4 (2017)
Review article
Submitted: 2017-10-08
Accepted: 2017-12-11
Published online: 2017-12-22
Get Citation
Immunocompromised travellers
1, 2
Affiliations- Students’ Scientific Circle of Travel Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland
open access
Vol 68, No 4 (2017)
TROPICAL MEDICINE Review article
Submitted: 2017-10-08
Accepted: 2017-12-11
Published online: 2017-12-22
Abstract
Given a better quality of life and extended life expectancy in patients with immune suppression, the number of immunocompromised travellers is constantly growing. The aim of the article is to discuss travel-related health problems in immunocompromised patients, their most common destinations and reasons to travel, as well as complications associated with travel to regions with harsh environmental conditions. The article focuses on selected groups of immunocompromised travellers (ICTs), i.e., cancer patients, transplant patients receiving immunosuppressant agents, splenectomised patients and HIV-infected individuals. The most common infections and complications, including traveller’s diarrhoea, vector-borne diseases (yellow fever, malaria, leishmaniasis, dengue, chikungunya), respiratory infections (including tuberculosis), and dermatoses were taken into account. Preventive measures dedicated to ICTs (pre-travel consultation, vaccinations, malaria chemoprophylaxis, prevention during travelling) have been also characterised.
Abstract
Given a better quality of life and extended life expectancy in patients with immune suppression, the number of immunocompromised travellers is constantly growing. The aim of the article is to discuss travel-related health problems in immunocompromised patients, their most common destinations and reasons to travel, as well as complications associated with travel to regions with harsh environmental conditions. The article focuses on selected groups of immunocompromised travellers (ICTs), i.e., cancer patients, transplant patients receiving immunosuppressant agents, splenectomised patients and HIV-infected individuals. The most common infections and complications, including traveller’s diarrhoea, vector-borne diseases (yellow fever, malaria, leishmaniasis, dengue, chikungunya), respiratory infections (including tuberculosis), and dermatoses were taken into account. Preventive measures dedicated to ICTs (pre-travel consultation, vaccinations, malaria chemoprophylaxis, prevention during travelling) have been also characterised.
Get Citation
Keywords
immunocompromised patients, travelling, tropics
About this articleTitle
Immunocompromised travellers
Journal
Issue
Article type
Review article
Pages
229-237
Published online
2017-12-22
Page views
3141
Article views/downloads
2651
DOI
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
IMH 2017;68(4):229-237.
Keywords
immunocompromised patients
travelling
tropics
Authors
Katarzyna Wasilczuk
Krzysztof Korzeniewski
References (34)- World Tourism Organization. Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, 2017 Edition. http://statistics.unwto.org/publication/yearbook-tourism-statistics-2017-edition (11 March 2017).
- Askling HH, Dalm VA. The medically immunocompromised adult traveler and pre-travel counseling: status quo 2014. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2014; 12(3): 219–228.
- Patel RR, Liang SY, Koolwal P, et al. Travel advice for the immunocompromised traveler: prophylaxis, vaccination, and other preventive measures. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2015; 11: 217–228.
- Wieten RW, Leenstra T, Goorhuis A, et al. Health risks of travelers with medical conditions--a retrospective analysis. J Travel Med. 2012; 19(2): 104–110.
- Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT). The immunocompromised traveller. An Advisory Committee Statement (ACS). Can Commun Dis Rep. 2007; 33(ACS-4): 1–24.
- Loutan L. Vaccination of the immunocompromised patient. Biologicals. 1997; 25(2): 231–236.
- Dekkiche S, de Vallière S, D'Acremont V, et al. Travel-related health risks in moderately and severely immunocompromised patients: a case-control study. J Travel Med. 2016; 23(3).
- Baaten GG, Geskus RB, Kint JA, et al. Symptoms of infectious diseases in immunocompromised travelers: a prospective study with matched controls. J Travel Med. 2011; 18(5): 318–326.
- Rello J, Manuel O, Eggimann P, et al. ESGCIP and ESGITM. Management of infections in critically ill returning travellers in the intensive care unit-II: clinical syndromes and special considerations in immunocompromised patients. Int J Infect Dis. 2016; 48: 104–112.
- LaRocque RC, Rao SR, Lee J, et al. Global TravEpiNet Consortium. Global TravEpiNet: a national consortium of clinics providing care to international travelers--analysis of demographic characteristics, travel destinations, and pretravel healthcare of high-risk US international travelers, 2009-2011. Clin Infect Dis. 2012; 54(4): 455–462.
- Hochberg NS, Barnett ED, Chen LH, et al. International travel by persons with medical comorbidities: understanding risks and providing advice. Mayo Clin Proc. 2013; 88(11): 1231–1240.
- Uslan DZ, Patel R, Virk A. International travel and exposure risks in solid-organ transplant recipients. Transplantation. 2008; 86(3): 407–412.
- Boggild AK, Sano M, Humar A, et al. Travel patterns and risk behavior in solid organ transplant recipients. J Travel Med. 2004; 11(1): 37–43.
- Allen JE, Patel D. Enquiries to the United Kingdom National Travel Advice Line by healthcare professionals regarding immunocompromised travellers. J Travel Med. 2016; 23(3).
- Leder K, Tong S, Weld L, et al. GeoSentinel Surveillance Network. Illness in travelers visiting friends and relatives: a review of the GeoSentinel Surveillance Network. Clin Infect Dis. 2006; 43(9): 1185–1193.
- Mikati T, Taur Y, Seo SK, et al. International travel patterns and travel risks of patients diagnosed with cancer. J Travel Med. 2013; 20(2): 71–77.
- Ericsson CD. Travellers with pre-existing medical conditions. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2003; 21(2): 181–188.
- Roukens AHE, van Dissel JT, de Fijter JW, et al. Health preparations and travel-related morbidity of kidney transplant recipients traveling to developing countries. Clin Transplant. 2007; 21(4): 567–570.
- Aung AK, Trubiano JA, Spelman DW. Travel risk assessment, advice and vaccinations in immunocompromised travellers (HIV, solid organ transplant and haematopoeitic stem cell transplant recipients): A review. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2015; 13(1): 31–47.
- Wingard JR, Hsu J, Hiemenz JW. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: an overview of infection risks and epidemiology. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2010; 24(2): 257–272.
- McCarthy AE, Mileno MD. Prevention and treatment of travel-related infections in compromised hosts. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2006; 19(5): 450–455.
- Castelli F, Patroni A. The human immunodeficiency virus-infected traveler. Clin Infect Dis. 2000; 31(6): 1403–1408.
- Salit IE, Sano M, Boggild AK, et al. Travel patterns and risk behaviour of HIV-positive people travelling internationally. CMAJ. 2005; 172(7): 884–888.
- Sherrard AW, McCarthy AE. Travel patterns and health risks for patients infected with HIV. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2009; 7(5): 291–295.
- The Global Database on HIV related travel restrictions. http://www.hivtravel.org (25 Sept 2017).
- Kotton CN, Ryan ET, Fishman JA. Prevention of infection in adult travelers after solid organ transplantation. Am J Transplant. 2005; 5(1): 8–14.
- Chiche L, Lesage A, Duhamel C, et al. Posttransplant malaria: first case of transmission of Plasmodium falciparum from a white multiorgan donor to four recipients. Transplantation. 2003; 75(1): 166–168.
- Wilson ME, Weld LH, Boggild A, et al. GeoSentinel Surveillance Network. Fever in returned travelers: results from the GeoSentinel Surveillance Network. Clin Infect Dis. 2007; 44(12): 1560–1568.
- Bhadelia N, Klotman M, Caplivski D. The HIV-positive traveler. Am J Med. 2007; 120(7): 574–580.
- Jackson Y, Dang T, Schnetzler B, et al. Trypanosoma cruzi fatal reactivation in a heart transplant recipient in Switzerland. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2011; 30(4): 484–485.
- Freedman DO, Weld LH, Kozarsky PE, et al. GeoSentinel Surveillance Network. Spectrum of disease and relation to place of exposure among ill returned travelers. N Engl J Med. 2006; 354(2): 119–130.
- Biggs HM, Galloway RL, Bui DM, et al. Leptospirosis and human immunodeficiency virus co-infection among febrile inpatients in northern Tanzania. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2013; 13(8): 572–580.
- Lortholary O, Charlier C, Lebeaux D, et al. Fungal infections in immunocompromised travelers. Clin Infect Dis. 2013; 56(6): 861–869.
- Bialy C, Horne K, Dendle C, et al. International travel in the immunocompromised patient: a cross-sectional survey of travel advice in 254 consecutive patients. Intern Med J. 2015; 45(6): 618–623.
