Vaccination options for last-minute travellers in need of travel-related prophylaxis against hepatitis A and B and typhoid fever: a practical guide.

Last-minute travellers represent a particular challenge to travel healthcare professionals, as standard vaccination schedules can take a few months to complete. This has led researchers to investigate the value of alternative accelerated schedules and existing schedules among this group, particularly with respect to time taken for an individual to seroconvert, duration of protection and multiple vaccination requirements. This paper reviews the available options for the three most common vaccine preventable diseases among travellers-hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid fever. Studies suggest that even if the first dose of hepatitis A vaccine is given on the day of travel, this will provide adequate protection, and that immunity to typhoid fever can be provided in over 70% of travellers following vaccination 1 week prior to departure. For hepatitis B, an accelerated schedule of 0, 7 and 21-days has been shown to induce early protection, and is considered to be of benefit to the last-minute traveller. Practical guidelines on vaccination options from one week up to one month, as well as one month or more prior to travel are presented. This should provide guidance for travel healthcare professionals, and reassure last-minute travellers that they need not begin their journey unprotected against these three serious infectious diseases.