Measures for preventing sexually transmitted infections are the same whether the individual is travelling abroad or not. If in doubt, men should always use a condom, each time, from start to finish, and women should make sure their partner uses one. Moreover, throughout the world, many of these bacteria are showing increased resistance to penicillin and other antimicrobials. The same is true of HIV infection, which in its late stage causes AIDS and is thought to be invariably fatal. Due to the expense and complexity of ARVs, only a few centres in most countries are able to provide them.
Medical injections using unsterilized equipment are also a possible source of infection.
If an injection is essential, the traveller should try to ensure that the needles and syringes come from a sterile package or have been sterilized properly by steam or boiling water for 20 minutes.