International Travel Healthline - Polio International Travel Healthline Supplemental Health Recommendations Polio Polio is a viral disease spread by food and water contamination or by person to person contact.
Polio occurs in many developing countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and eastern Europe.
Preventive vaccination for polio has been used on a large scale basis in many parts of the world and it has largely eradicated the disease in these areas. Even for an individual who has received proper immunization against polio as a child or adult, a booster is recommended before travel to these developing countries. For an individual with no history of polio immunization, a complete series with at least two doses of vaccine is recommended before travel. Boosters are recommended just once during adulthood. There are essentially no side effects from the inactivated, killed-virus vaccine.