The Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT) – a reference for Canadian paediatricians

Question 1

What is CATMAT?

Answer 1

An organization that provides recommendations related to the prevention and treatment of infectious disease

Question 2

What are the general recommendations for pediatric travellers?

Answer 2

1. Parents should consider what is appropriate and enjoyable for children when they plan, prepare, and embark on their trip.
2. Immigrant children or Canadian–born children of immigrants visiting friends and relatives are at increased risk of several infectious conditions relative to local children and warrant special effort to ensure appropriate education and other protective measures.
3. Diarrhea must be treated with fluid and electrolyte replacement, especially in children and the elderly
4. Antibiotic therapy with a fluoroquinolone or azithromycin is recommended as presumptive therapy of moderate to severe travellers’ diarrhea (with fever over 38.5 degrees C or bloody diarrhea)
5. Immunization against Hepatitis A and / or typhoid should be advised for children who will be at significant risk.
6. Children ≥ 6 mos old at risk of exposure to serious arthropod–borne infections should appropriately use insect repellent containing DEET – the preferred insect repellent, unless contraindicated (e.g. allergic reaction).
7. Additional personal protective measures including permethrin–treated nets and clothing barriers should be used in children of all ages.
8. Children should be administered the appropriate malaria chemoprophylaxis when travelling to malaria–risk regions.
9. Distraction methods can be used to help young children cope with immunization pain and fear.
10. Routine childhood immunizations should be up–to–date prior to international travel due to the elevated risk for many of the infections abroad.
11. Children are at higher risk of animal bites with rabies risk, therefore rabies vaccination should be considered, particularly those in remote regions and areas without adequate post–exposure prophylaxis, or on prolonged visits abroad
12. Meningococcal quadravalent vaccine should be administered to children entering a region with sufficient endemic or epidemic activity
13. All travel–related vaccines, when indicated, should be administered according to the known age limitations for efficacy and safety.