BNF for Children 2011-2012

BNFC 2011–2012 14.6 International travel 627risk is greatest (e.g. refugee camps). Regardless ofvaccination, travellers to areas where cholera is endemicshould take special care with food hygiene (seebelow).Advice on diphtheria, on Japanese encephalitis 1(vaccine available on named-patient basis fromMASTA) and on tick-borne encephalitis is includedin Health Information for Overseas Travel, see below.Food hygiene In areas where sanitation is poor, goodfood hygiene is important to help prevent hepatitis A,typhoid, cholera, and other diarrhoeal diseases (includingtravellers’ diarrhoea). Food should be freshly preparedand hot, and uncooked vegetables (includinggreen salads) should be avoided; only fruits which canbe peeled should be eaten. Only suitable bottled water,or tap water that has been boiled, or treated withsterilising tablets should be used for drinking.Information on health advice for travellersHealth professionals and travellers can find the latestinformation on immunisation requirements and precautionsfor avoiding disease while travelling from:www.nathnac.orgThe handbook, Health Information for OverseasTravel (2010), which draws together essential informationfor healthcare professionals regarding healthadvice for travellers, can also be obtained here.Immunisation requirements change from time to time,and information on the current requirements for anyparticular country may be obtained from the embassy orlegation of the appropriate country or from:National Travel Health Network and CentreUCLH NHS Foundation trust5th Floor West250 Euston RoadLondon, NW1 2PGTel: 0845 602 6712(9 a.m.–noon, 2–4.30 p.m. weekdays for healthcareprofessionals only)www.nathnac.orgTravel Medicine TeamHealth Protection ScotlandClifton HouseClifton PlaceGlasgow, G3 7LNTel: (0141) 300 1130(2 p.m.–4 p.m. weekdays)www.travax.nhs.uk (registration required. Annualfee may be payable for users outside NHS Scotland)Welsh Assembly GovernmentTel: (029) 2082 5397(9 a.m.–5.30 p.m. weekdays)Department of Health and Social ServicesCastle BuildingsStormontBelfast, BT4 3PPTel: (028) 9052 2118(weekdays)1. Japanese encephalitis vaccine not prescribable on theNHS; health authorities may investigate circumstancesunder which vaccine prescribed14 Immunological products and vaccines