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Article

Europe - travel vaccination advice

Published Updated

Vaccination against various diseases is recommended when travelling to some European countries, particularly Eastern Europe. The vaccines depend on the destination, type of accommodation, sanitary conditions, length of stay and the general health of the traveller.

Vaccination against various diseases is recommended when travelling to some European countries, particularly Eastern Europe. The vaccines depend on the destination, type of accommodation, sanitary conditions, length of stay and the general health of the traveller.

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Malaria precautions are important in a few countries in the very eastern part of Europe. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net. 

Some countries have their own recommendations for the meningococcal vaccine. People who are unsure if they have had the MMR vaccine or whether they have had measles, mumps and rubella are recommended to have the vaccine.

International travel can be divided into two main groups 

Table 1. International travel can be divided into two main groups 

GROUP I   

Business and tourist travel to cities and tourist resorts, staying in standard tourist-class hotels with good food hygiene and adequate sanitary conditions.

GROUP II

Long-term foreign travel or residence in areas with poor hygiene and sanitation, and / or close and prolonged contact with locals (such as work, back-packing trips, immigrants on a visit to their former homeland).  

( ): Parentheses around the abbreviation means that the proposed prevention should be considered individually depending on the trip type and local geographic and seasonal variations in disease prevalence. In addition, the traveller's health, age and previous immunisation status should be considered.

Abbreviations for travel vaccines

  • dTP-IPV: Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio vaccine
  • Hep A: Hepatitis A vaccine
  • Hep B: Hepatitis B vaccine
  • IPV: Poliomyelitis vaccine
  • Rab: Rabies vaccine
  • TBE: Tick-borne encephalitis vaccine
  • Typh: Typhoid vaccine
  • BCG: Tuberculosis vaccine

 

Recommended vaccines

Table 2. Recommended vaccines
DESTINATION GROUP I GROUP II
United Kingdom dTP-IPV*

dTP-IPV*
Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden		 dTP-IPV*

dTP-IPV*
(TBE)
Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia dTP-IPV*

dTP-IPV*
(TBE)
(Rab)

Albania, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia, Montenegro,
Serbia

 dTP-IPV*

dTP-IPV*
(Hep A) 
(Rab)
(TBE) 

Russia (European part)

 dTP-IPV*

dTP-IPV*
Hep A 
(Hep B) 
(Rab) 
(TBE) 
(BCG)
Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina dTP-IPV*

dTP-IPV*
(Hep A)
(Hep B)
(Rab) 
(TBE) 
Lithuania

 

 dTP-IPV*

dTP-IPV*
(Hep A) 
(Rab) 
(TBE) 
(BCG)

North Macedonia, Slovakia, Turkey

 dTP-IPV*
Hep A

dTP-IPV*
Hep A 
(Rab) 
(TBE) 

Bulgaria, Kosovo

 dTP-IPV*
Hep A

dTP-IPV*
Hep A 
(Hep B) 
(Rab) 
(TBE) 

Moldova, Romania, Ukraine**

 dTP-IPV*
Hep A

dTP-IPV*
Hep A
(Hep B)
(Rab)
(TBE)
(BCG)
Azerbaidjan, Georgia dTP-IPV*
Hep A

dTP-IPV*
Hep A
(Hep B)
(Rab)
(BCG)
(Typh)
Armenia dTP-IPV*
Hep A

dTP-IPV*
Hep A 
(Hep B)
(Rab)
(Typh)

* Everybody should be vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and poliomyelitis. Adults who have had the basic vaccinations should have a booster dose against these diseases every 10 years. Even though the current journey will not increase the risk of these diseases, it is appropriate to update these vaccines together with travel vaccinations and advice.

In 2021 in Ukraine, two cases of poliomyelitis with paralysis were detected in which vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 was detected. 

In 2022, vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 was found in several sewage samples in London, UK with no cases of the disease being detected. Related viruses have also been found in an unvaccinated person with paralysis in New York State, and in sewage in New York State, USA, and in Jerusalem, Israel. The similarity between the detected viruses indicates vaccine virus circulation across national borders in connection with travel. Vaccination coverage in the UK is generally high, but the virus has been detected in a geographically limited area with under-vaccinated population groups. Thus, the vaccine virus has been able to circulate and regain disease-causing abilities. Vaccination campaigns have been launched and surveillance heightened.

For travellers to the UK and Ukraine, it is especially important to ensure up-to-date polio vaccination and consider bringing forward the vaccination of infants.

For more information, see WHO's website.

Source for travel vaccination advice given by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health 

History

28.11.2022: Updated according to Statement of the Thirty-third Polio IHR Emergency Committee (WHO November 2022)