Being away from the usual constraints of home, seeking adventure, and wanting to make new friends can all lead to risky encounters. Diseases such as HIV and hepatitis B are more prevalent in some parts of the world than in the UK, and the risk of infection may be much higher. According to the World Health Organisation, there are an estimated 333 million episodes of curable sexually transmitted infection annually throughout the world. They are important causes of infertility, illness and death and a large proportion result from international travel. Men should always use a condom from start to finish, and women should make sure their partner uses one.
Women can also protect themselves by using a female condom.
Take a supply with you. Hepatitis B is the only sexually transmitted infection for which there is a protective vaccine . Many of the bacteria in such infections are showing increased resistance to penicillin and other antibiotics. It is usually transmitted sexually, or via infected needles, blood or blood products. If a blood transfusion is essential, the traveller should request blood that has been screened for HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis.