The revised International Health Regulations and their relevance to travel medicine

The revised International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR 2005) will enter into force in June 2007. Here we give an overview of the IHR (2005) and their relevance to the travel medicine practitioner. The two specific applications of the IHR (2005) most likely to be encountered by travelers are the disinsection of aircraft to prevent importation of disease vectors and the yellow fever vaccination requirements imposed by certain countries. A model of the revised international certificate of vaccination or prophylaxis will be shown. The IHR (2005) has moved away from the definition of fixed maximum measures relating to specific diseases and in their place focus on the issuance of context-specific recommendations, made either on a temporary emergency basis or established for routine application in respect of ongoing risks of disease spread.