Table 1.

Body of knowledge for the practice of travel medicine as defined by the ISTM

BODY OF KNOWLEDGE^*	FACTORS TO CONSIDER
Epidemiology	Global distribution of diseases or geographic specificity
Immunology or vaccinology	Live versus inactivated vaccines; measurement of immune response

	Vaccine storage and handling

	Types of available vaccines or immunizations: indications or contraindications dosing regimens immunogenicity or effectiveness adverse events
Pretravel assessment or consultation	Patient evaluation (fitness to fly)

	Risk assessment: itinerary activities relevant medical history
	Special populations (eg, elderly patients; those with chronic illnesses; children; women who are pregnant or breastfeeding; those visiting friends and relatives; immunocompromised patients; expatriates)

	Special itineraries (eg, visiting armed conflict zones; diving; visiting extreme, wilderness, or remote regions; entering high altitudes)

	Prevention and self-treatment: chemoprophylaxis personal protective measures self-treatment (eg, traveler’s diarrhea, malaria) travel health kits

	Contacts with risk of communicable diseases: animals close interpersonal contact (eg, STIs) fresh and salt water food and water consumption safety and security walking barefoot
Diseases contracted during travel	Diseases associated with the following: vectors person-to-person contact ingestion of food and water bites and stings water and environment contact
Other clinical conditions	Conditions such as the following: barotrauma jet lag motion sickness thrombosis or embolism altitude sickness frostbite and hypothermia respiratory distress or failure (associated with humidity, pollution, etc) sunburn, heat exhaustion, and sunstroke
Psychological and psychosocial issues	Issues such as the following: acute stress reactions culture shock or adaptation psychological sequelae of travel or living abroad
Post-travel assessment	Screening or assessment of returned asymptomatic travelers

	Triage of ill travelers
Administrative and general issues	Medical care abroad

	Travel clinic management: documentation or record keeping equipment infection-control procedures management of medical emergencies laboratory testing resources
Travel medicine information and resources	Resources such as the following: commercial and proprietary sources international health regulations national or regional recommendations and differences principles of responsible travel

ISTM—International Society of Travel Medicine, STI—sexually transmitted infection.
↵* For a complete list of topics outlined in the ISTM’s body of knowledge, visit www.istm.org/bodyofknowledge.
Data from ISTM.⁸