Foreign travel-associated illness – a focus on those visiting friends and relatives: 2008 report

Synopsis

People travel abroad for all sorts of reasons, and the reason why they travel affects where they go, and therefore their risk of acquiring infectious disease. In recent years, the number of visits abroad made by United Kingdom (UK) residents to visit friends and relatives (VFR) has increased and VFR travel often involves travel to regions that have a higher risk of certain, preventable, infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid, paratyphoid, and hepatitis A. For these diseases, a disproportionate burden falls on those who have undertaken VFR travel. To reduce the number of cases of travel associated illness reported in the UK, particular attention needs to be given to protecting the health of these travellers.

Additional information

Travel health page of website

Last reviewed: 14 August 2009