title: [Polio vaccination and stool screening in German reception centers for asylum seekers, November 2013-January 2014 : What was implemented?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Following the polio outbreak in Syria and the rising number of Syrian asylum seekers in Germany in 2013, the Robert Koch Institute recommended - within the context of existing vaccination recommendations for asylum seekers - on 01/11/2013 to prioritize polio vaccination of Syrian asylum seekers and stool screening in a target group of Syrian asylum seekers aged less than three years.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The article evaluates the implementation of this recommendation in German asylum seeker reception centres (RC) to gain further knowledge on the vaccination practices in RCs and to identify opportunities for improving future recommendations.
  
  
  METHODS
  The electronic questionnaire was sent by email to all German RCs, asking for general information on the RC, existing vaccination efforts, the main obstacles for implementation of the recommendations, the number of incoming and vaccinated asylum seekers, and asylum seekers screened for poliovirus in the period from 01/11/2013 to 31/01/2014. The RCs rated the feasibility of the recommendation and the provided multilingual information material.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All of the 20 identified RCs responded. During the study period, 33.874 asylum seekers arrived in the RCs. Of those with available information about possession of a vaccination record, on average 1.6 % did have one. All RCs offered timely vaccination to Syrian asylum seekers younger than three years. In this target group, eight RC achieved vaccination coverages of ≥ 80 %. Stool screening coverage was ≥ 80 % in five of 19 RCs. Eleven RCs rated the recommendation as very well/well implementable. Staff shortages and language barriers were mentioned as the main implementation obstacles. Similar future recommendations for asylum seekers in RCs should be accompanied by informational material in additional languages. Staff shortages hampering implementation could be overcome through collaborations with non-governmental organizations.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Infektionsepidemiologie, Robert Koch-Institut, Seestraße 10, 13353, Berlin, Deutschland. ZeitlmannN@rki.de.|Postgraduiertenausbildung für angewandte Epidemiologie (PAE), Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Deutschland. ZeitlmannN@rki.de.|Sachbereich Infektionsepidemiologie, Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Oberschleißheim, Deutschland. ZeitlmannN@rki.de.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zeitlmann
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Infektionsepidemiologie, Robert Koch-Institut, Seestraße 10, 13353, Berlin, Deutschland.|Postgraduiertenausbildung für angewandte Epidemiologie (PAE), Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Deutschland.|Infektionsepidemiologie, Landesuntersuchungsamt Rheinland-Pfalz, Landau, Deutschland.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: George
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Infektionsepidemiologie, Robert Koch-Institut, Seestraße 10, 13353, Berlin, Deutschland.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Falkenhorst
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018580:Mandatory Testing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017955:Poliovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D023321:Poliovirus Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015995:Prevalence; D012036:Refugees / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014600:Utilization Review; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D023321:Poliovirus Vaccines
keywords: Asylum seekers; Germany; Polio; Stool screening; Vaccination