New edition of CDC Yellow Book released
ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday released the 2012 edition of the agency’s “Yellow Book,” a definitive health guide for international travel that could become the must-have resource for pharmacists looking to recommend travel vaccinations.
The CDC "Yellow Book," which is updated once every two years, provides travel health recommendations and other features that help international travelers prepare for trips and stay healthy while abroad, such as when to get those recommended vaccines and medicines before departure, and symptoms to watch for during travel and upon return.
The 2012 edition features new sections on traveling to mass gatherings, preparing for study abroad, military deployments and six new popular travel itineraries. Nicknamed for its yellow cover, the health guide is officially titled "CDC Health Information for International Travel."
The 2012 edition also includes these new features:
Updated maps on the distribution of dengue, a mosquito-borne disease usually found in the tropics, which has been increasing internationally and was seen in the southern Florida in 2009 for the first time in 75 years;
What to expect if you're traveling during an international disease outbreak;
Larger and more detailed maps for yellow fever and malaria, which can sometimes affect only certain parts of countries;
Tips for travel to mass gatherings, such as the Hajj pilgrimage and sporting events like Olympics or World Cup; and
Prevention of traveler's diarrhea — it's not only what you eat and drink but also other factors, including how your food is prepared and where you eat.
Popular features from previous "Yellow Book" editions also are included in the new edition, including sections on jet lag, cruise ship travel, traveling with disabilities, traveling with infants and children, international adoptions and immigrants returning to their native countries to visit friends and relatives.
The "Yellow Book" is published in hard copy by Oxford University Press, and now is available at bookstores, through Internet book sellers or by contacting Oxford. It also will available as an e-book, a digitally downloadable book for e-readers and iPads, online. The content will also be available at CDC's Traveler's Health website, CDC.gov/travel. The website lets travelers search by destination and find information about basic travel health preparations and what to do if sick or injured while traveling. It is updated as travel health threats emerge and new information becomes available.