Travel Diseases

Travel Diseases 2025

Vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, such as polio, yellow fever, Ebola, measles, and cholera, continue to disrupt international travel in 2025, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of April 22, 2025, the U.S. CDC published Travel Health Advisories and digital maps indicating diseases in various countries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UK Health Security Agency emphasize the importance of checking your destination before travel and staying prepared by staying up to date with the latest outbreaks and events. The WHO and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) publish weekly Epidemiological Updates for mosquito-transmitted diseases such as Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika. There are 176 mosquito species in the United States that find hosts by detecting infrared radiation emitted by warm bodies and by chemical signals at distances of 25 to 35 meters.

Travel Diseases

As of April 2025, travel vaccine appointments can be requested at this Vax-Before-Travel link. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved vaccines targeting travel-related diseases such as the following:

Chikungunya: Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by mosquitoes infected with the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Outbreaks are primarily found in Africa, Asia, Brazil, and the Indian subcontinent. In 2023, the U.S. FDA approved a CHIKV preventive vaccine.

Cholera: The WHO has recorded seven cholera pandemics over the past two centuries, with the current (7th) cholera epidemic considered to have started in 1961 and is expected to continue in forty-five countries by 2025. WHO-prequalified oral cholera vaccines (OCV), such as DUKORAL , are available. VaxChora ® became available in the U.S. in late 2023.

Dengue: Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. There are four Dengue serotypes, and it is possible to be infected with each of the four times. Dengue vaccines are in use worldwide, such as QDENGA®.

Ebola: Ebola virus disease is a rare but often fatal illness in humans. The Ervebo ® vaccine was approved by the U.S. FDA in 2020.

Hepatitis: Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. The five main strains of hepatitis viruses include hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D, and hepatitis E. The CDC updated hepatitis vaccination schedules for children, adolescents, and adults.

Influenza : Various influenza viruses continually spread worldwide. Several FDA-approved flu shots are available in 2025.

Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is a severe virus that spreads to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes. FDA-approved JE vaccines are available in the U.S.

Lassa Fever is an acute viral infection that originates and spreads through contact with a typical African rodent, such as the multimammate rat. As of 2023, the U.S. FDA has not approved a Lassa fever vaccine.

Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease common in Europe and the United States, transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks. No vaccine has been approved in 2025.

Malaria: Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is preventable with the Mosquirix and R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccines, which are available in Africa, not the U.S.

Marburg: Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a severe human disease caused by the Marburg virus. Recent outbreaks in Africa have caused MVD. As of 2025, the FDA has not approved a vaccine for MVD.

Measles: Measles is a highly contagious, severe disease caused by a virus. Safe vaccines (MMR-II and Priorix) are available throughout the U.S., but the Disease poses a risk to international travelers visiting countries such as India.

Meningococcal: Vaccines can help prevent meningococcal Disease, which is any illness caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis.

MERS: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome vaccines are not approved in 2025, but several vaccine candidates are being tested in clinical trials.

Mpox: Mpox is caused by the mpox virus, and outbreaks began in May 2022 and continue in 2023. Authorized vaccines such as JYNNEOS ® are offered in various countries in 2023.

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. There is no cure for polio, but vaccines can prevent it. Canada, Israel, Germany, the UK, New York, Spain, and various African and European countries discovered poliovirus in wastewater and increased their polio vaccination offerings.

Rabies: Rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease in over 150 countries and territories. It is present on all continents except Antarctica, with over 95% of human deaths occurring in the Asia and African regions. It is spread to people and animals through bites or scratches, usually via saliva. Dogs are responsible for up to 99% of rabies transmission to humans.

Rift Valley Fever: Rift Valley Fever is a viral epidemic in Africa that can be fatal to humans. As of 2023, no vaccines are available for human use. However, the ThVF vaccine candidate was found safe, well-tolerated, and immunogenic when administered as a single dose in this University of Oxford phase 1 study population.

Rotavirus: Four rotavirus strains are WHO prequalified.

Tick-borne Encephalitis: The tick-borne encephalitis virus is a member of the family Flavivirus. Four FDA-approved vaccines are currently available.

Typhoid: Typhoid fever is a life-threatening infection caused by Salmonella Typhi. It is usually spread through contaminated food or water. One FDA-approved vaccine has been used for many years to prevent typhoid.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially severe infectious disease that mainly affects the lungs. The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine helps prevent TB.

West Nile Virus: Phoenix, Arizona, has become a West Nile Virus (WNV) hot spot in the U.S. in 2023. However, the U.S. FDA has not authorized a WNV vaccine for prevention.

Yellow Fever: Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. A small proportion of patients who contract the virus develop severe symptoms, and approximately half die within 7 to 10 days. Yellow fever vaccines (YF-Vax® and Stamaril®) are available worldwide.

Zika: Zika virus outbreaks in India are expected to continue in 2025. However, as of April 2025, no approved Zika vaccines are available.