title: Prevention of fecal-orally transmitted diseases in travelers through an oral anticholeric vaccine (WC/rBS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Estimate the efficacy of oral anticholeric vaccine Dukoral in subjects travelling to high-risk areas for traveler's diarrhoea and cholera.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved subjects of both genders who planned to travel to high-risk areas for traveler's diarrhoea and cholera. Immunization with oral anticholeric vaccine Dukoral was offered to each one of them. Upon returning, all the participants in the study were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 40 close-ended questions mainly concerning: personal and health data, characteristics (length, destination, reason) of the travel, onset of gastrointestinal symptoms, data relating to the assumption of anticholeric vaccine and possible adverse reactions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  296 questionnaires have been collected. Mean age was 38.2 years (55.4% males and 44.6% females). Mean travel length was 22.2 days. Reasons for the travel: 66.8% tourism and 33.2% work-cooperation. Most frequent destination was Africa (48.1%), followed by Asia (32.1%) and central South-America (17.8%). 199 subjects (67.2%) properly executed vaccination with Dukoral. The diarrhoea affected 14.1% of vaccinated subjects and 20.6% of non vaccinated ones. The following cohorts showed statistically significant differences in incidence of diarrhoea: <35 years old age (13.7% vs. 27.1%), travel for work-cooperation (14.1% vs. 35%) and travel length >28 days (12.1% vs. 40%). No serious adverse events were reported following vaccination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral Anticholeric vaccine proved to be effective and safe in preventing fecal-oral diseases in travelers exposed to high risk conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention, O.U. Hygiene and Public Health, LHU 4 Chiavarese, Italy. ggabutti@as14.liguria.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gabutti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aquilina
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cova
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giuffrida
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lizioli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Protano
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scrivano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomasi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cucchi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavallaro
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D002771:Cholera / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D022121:Cholera Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D054307:Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014195:Travel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000276:immunology; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D022121:Cholera Vaccines