About TRAVAX

What is TRAVAX?

TRAVAX is an interactive NHS website providing up to date health information for UK health care professionals who advise the public about avoiding illness and staying healthy when travelling abroad. TRAVAX aims to give evidence-based practical information and is well-suited to the clinical setting.

• Registration is required for access.

How do I Register for TRAVAX?

Only registered users can access TRAVAX via a user name and password. To register or enquire about registration please complete the online registration request form.

• Please email the TRAVAX administrator for a trial access period.

Please note that registration for TRAVAX is to open to health professionals only. TRAVAX has a sister site, fitfortravel providing up to date health information for the UK public on avoiding illness and staying healthy when travelling abroad.

Who produces TRAVAX?

TRAVAX began in 1985 in response to the demand for information from primary care in Scotland, but since then has become widely used throughout the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

TRAVAX is maintained and continually updated by the Travel and International Health Team of Public Health Scotland (PHS).

This team aims to provide an excellent service to protect UK travellers from travel associated health risks and to limit the wider public health impact of imported infections.

Where does the information come from?

PHS undertakes continual monitoring of travel related health risks and available preventive measures and the travel health team is actively involved in research, education and delivery of travel health services. They have direct contact with travellers through the network of NHS travel clinics based in infectious diseases units throughout Scotland, particularly the specialised travel clinic in Glasgow. Quality is strictly regulated by the clinical governance procedures in place within PHS.

TRAVAX utilises and takes account of various other authoritative sources, including the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations for the United Kingdom (JCVI), the Advisory Committee on Malaria Prevention (ACMP), the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC), Public Health England (PHE) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

What will I find on TRAVAX?

Destinations

An entry on TRAVAX exists for every country in the world. Included in each are details on general health risks, outbreak news, immunisation recommendations, malaria prevention, other infection risks, and medical services at the destination. Countries with a risk of yellow fever include additional detail and individual maps.

Risk Assessment

A critical element of the travel health consultation, TRAVAX is designed to make risk assessment easier. Vaccination recommendations are graded by considering epidemiology of the disease at the destination.

Throughout the country pages you will see click/expand arrow icons. These indicate that you can get further information on the vaccine to assist in an individual risk assessment based on the type of traveller and travel being undertaken.

Traveller Advice Suitcase

A key feature of TRAVAX. The traveller advice sheets are specifically written for the general public, so are clear, concise and easily understood. They can also be found on the  fitfortravel website. The Suitcase function allows you to select and save a variety of advice sheets as you progress through the travel consultation and print or email directly to your traveller.

Malaria Maps & Information

TRAVAX features multilayered malaria maps indicating risk areas, points of interest, rivers, airports and altitude. Advice about malaria and its prevention is comprehensive, including diagnosis and treatment, prevention and chemoprophylaxis, and standby emergency treatment. The malaria advice on TRAVAX is reviewed at least annually for all countries.

Non vaccine preventable illness

TRAVAX provides comprehensive guidance on avoiding non-vaccine preventable illness during travel, for example: insect bite avoidance, food and water hygiene. Additionally, information on non-vaccine preventable disease including cause, distribution, clinical features, diagnosis, prevention and treatment is given. This is provided country-by-country for many of the key diseases.

Health Professional Advice

This is clearly separated from the traveller advice pages on TRAVAX and covers a broad range of topics both disease and non-disease related. Includes links to consultation tools and other resources.

International News & Outbreaks

Important and relevant, travel health news and outbreaks are posted regularly. These are searchable and are linked to destination pages on TRAVAX. Individual users are able to sign up for daily or weekly news and outbreak alerts to be sent directly to their email account. Outbreaks are selected on the basis of relevance to those advising the travelling public and are not exhaustive of all outbreaks that occur globally.

FAQ index

TRAVAX has an extensive, easily searchable FAQ repository which is constantly updated. Often the answers to common and perplexing problems can be found here.

Travel Health Advice Line

PHS travel health team operate a telephone helpline for TRAVAX users generates many of these questions - so they reflect the real issues arising in clinical practice.

What does it cost to subscribe?

TRAVAX is funded by the Scottish Government and is provided free to those using the service for NHS purposes in Scotland. There is a small charge for NHS users in other parts of the United Kingdom. Those working in the UK but outside the NHS, group, private and overseas subscriptions are also available. We are obliged to charge VAT on subscriptions but those working within the NHS may be able to reclaim this. Current subscription charges (excluding VAT):