Foreign travel-associated illness, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Annual Report 2005

Synopsis

This first annual report of the Travel and Migrant Health Section (a partner in the National Travel Health Network  and Centre) summarises foreign travel-associated illness reported in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland in 2003, and follows on from the baseline report on data to 2002 that was published in 2004.

Additional information

Travel health

Travel trends (PowerPoint Slideshow, 214 KB)

Recording travel histories in cases of infection can help improve pre-travel advice, Health Protection Agency reminds professionals

 

The report:

• shows that foreign travel continued to increase in 2003. There were 61.4 million visits abroad made by UK residents in 2003, two-thirds of whom travelled to countries in the European Union (EU). The largest increases in the number of visits compared with 2002 were however, to the Indian sub-continent, and sub-Saharan and southern Africa. UK residents travel mainly for holidays but in 2003 trips to visit friends and relations were the second most popular reason for travel and overtook visits for business reasons for the first time.
• outlines the trends for a wide range of important travel-associated illnesses. Compared with 2002, reports of travel-associated typhoid, paratyphoid and dengue saw slight increases in reporting while reports of travel-associated hepatitis A and gastrointestinal diseases decreased. Malaria reports have also decreased but a large proportion of malaria cases continue to be seen in those visiting friends and relations and continue to be associated with failure to use chemoprophylaxis.
• reiterates the limitations associated with the data available on travel-associated illness that were first highlighted in the baseline report. Although there is enhanced surveillance for some travel-associated infections, travel history reporting through routine surveillance systems continues to be poor for some important illnesses making trends difficult to interpret. Travel history reporting needs to be improved and additionally, further epidemiological information (e.g. reason for travel, dates of travel, date of onset), is also required to contribute to the evidence base for appropriately targeted pre-travel advice, and to distinguish between illness in short term travellers as opposed to migrants or foreign visitors to the UK.

Last reviewed: 5 March 2008