So now as my jet lag stupor disappears and I become less emotional about my trip home, practicality sets in. After completing these musings, my next task will be to write

to the airline and ask for those 100,000 miles back that I used to fly from Asia. Now, what are the chances of that? The author states that she has no conflicts of interest to declare. “
“Background. In countries with high rates of measles immunization, imported cases of measles represent an important continuing source of measles infection. Methods. Airlines and state health departments report cases of suspected measles selleck compound in international travelers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Quarantine

Stations. We reviewed these reports, maintained in an electronic database, to determine the demographic and epidemiologic characteristics of international air travelers infected with measles. Results. We reviewed 35 confirmed cases of measles in air travelers and analyzed their demographic and epidemiologic characteristics. The median age of case travelers was 17 (range: 4 months–50 years). These travelers arrived from all regions of the world, including 10 countries with immunization rates of measles-containing Selleck Belinostat vaccine below 90% and five others experiencing local outbreaks. Of 17 travelers for whom immunization status was known, 2 had been adequately immunized with at least two doses of a measles-virus containing vaccine, 9 were inadequately immunized, and an additional 6 infants had not been immunized because of age. Conclusions. Measles importations Wilson disease protein continue in the United States. Travelers should be aware of the importance of assuring up-to-date immunizations, especially when visiting countries experiencing a local measles outbreak. In addition,

parents traveling with infants, and their physicians, should be aware of recommendations regarding the early administration of a dose of measles-containing vaccine for infants at least 6 months old traveling internationally. In carrying out responsibilities to prevent the introduction and spread of contagious diseases into the United States, personnel of the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), receive reports of suspected and confirmed cases of measles in international travelers entering US ports as provided for by federal public health law and state agreements through the Council of State and Terrritorial Epidemiologists. These reports, from international vessel or aircraft captains, state and local health officials, US Customs and Border Protection officers, and foreign Ministries of Health, have been collected in an electronic database, the Quarantine Activity Reporting System (QARS), since August 1, 2005.