Health Alert
Polio in Equatorial Guinea
Updated August 4, 2014What is the current situation?
According to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative,
as of July 15, 2014, 5 cases of polio have been reported from Equatorial Guinea. Before 2014, no cases had been reported in Equatorial Guinea since 1999.
CDC recommends that all travelers to Equatorial Guinea be fully vaccinated against polio. In addition, adults who have been fully vaccinated should receive a single lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine. As of May 5, 2014, people of all ages staying in Equatorial Guinea for longer than 4 weeks may be required to show proof of polio vaccination when departing Equatorial Guinea. Polio vaccine must be received between 4 weeks and 12 months before the date of departure from Equatorial Guinea and should be officially documented on a yellow vaccination card (International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis). Travelers should talk to their doctor about making sure they are properly prepared for any requirements they may face exiting Equatorial Guinea.
Because of the risk of cross-border transmission, CDC recommends a single lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine for fully vaccinated adults who are traveling to Gabon to work in health care facilities, refugee camps, or other humanitarian aid settings. This kind of work might put people in contact with someone who has polio.
What is polio?
Polio is a disease caused by a virus that affects the nervous system and is mainly spread by person-to-person contact. Polio can also be spread by drinking water or other drinks or eating raw or undercooked food that are contaminated with the feces of an infected person.
Most people with polio do not feel sick. Some people have only minor symptoms, such as fever, tiredness, nausea, headache, nasal congestion, sore throat, cough, stiffness in the neck and back, and pain in the arms and legs. Most people recover completely. In rare cases, polio infection causes permanent loss of muscle function in the arms or legs (usually the legs) or if there is loss of function of the muscles used for breathing or infection of the brain, death can occur.