Tourists Bring Sex Diseases Back With Souvenirs

[george]

Tourists Bring Sex Diseases Back with Souvenirs

LONDON: -- Young travelers and sex tourists are returning from exotic locations with more than just tans and souvenirs. For some, infections such as syphilis and HIV are lingering reminders of a holiday romance.

"A large proportion of people are having sexual intercourse with new partners when they go abroad...and are putting themselves at risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)," said Dr Karen Rogstad of the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, England.

In a report published in the British Medical Journal on Friday, Rogstad reviewed research studies on STIs and searched global health Web Sites and others that could be expected to provide information about traveling to other countries.

"Travel abroad seems to be responsible for a small but increasingly important proportion of acute STIs in the United Kingdom," she said.

In one study of heterosexual men in Britain, 21 percent of syphilis infections were from sexual contacts abroad and 9 percent of gonorrhea sufferers had had sex in a foreign country in the previous three months.

"Between 2000 and 2002, 69 percent of United Kingdom born men with heterosexually acquired HIV were infected through sex while abroad, as were a quarter of women. Of these men, 22 percent were probably infected in Thailand," Rogstad said.

Young people under 25 years old face a high risk of bringing home more than they had expected from a holiday abroad because foreign tourists are often perceived as easy prey, alcohol may cloud their judgment and there is an increasing use of the date rape drug Rohypnol.

But Rogstad said sex tourists who traveled abroad with the intention of having sex faced the ultimate holiday gamble.

"A study of male German sex tourists in Thailand showed that most were aged 30-40 and single, with a well-paid job. Of these, 30-40 percent used condoms," she added.

Only about three percent of travel brochures contain advice on safe sex and few companies supply information about the risk tourists face, according to the research.

"More worrying is tour operators' encouragement of sex with new partners by presenting prizes," she added.

Rogstad believes educating travelers about the risks they may face abroad and supplying information when tourists book their holidays or receive medical treatment before leaving could help to reduce the problem.

"Prevention advice should be offered to all people going on holiday but particularly those going to the developing world," she added.

-- Reuters 2004-07-23

[sick buffalo]

The gift that keeps on giving

[astral]

Carry on handing out condoms at the airport after the AIDs conference.

Over to you Khun Meechai.

[Begs]

Good idea to publicise this, maybe it will keep the hoardes of sex tourists that travel thousands of miles just to exploit people away from Thailand...........

[Tufty]

Good idea to publicise this, maybe it will keep the hoardes of sex tourists that travel thousands of miles just to exploit people away from Thailand...........

It is a good idea to publicise this if it encourages people to practise safe sex but as for wanting to keep the "hoardes of sex tourists" away from Thailand is stupid.

There are lots of girls in Pattaya who have several boyfriends sending them money every month because the girl promises undying love for them.

These girls are getting an average of 10,000 baht pm/pbf and 4 or 5 boyfriends aren't uncommen

All this money goes into the economy one way or another wether it's partying in pattaya or supporting the family in Issan

All money is good money and with these girls getting so much of it begs the question

Who is exploiting who ????????

[britmaveric]

30-40% only wear condoms? These gerrys are mental lot. This just proves a point that EVERYONE who is engaging in such services should be protecting them selves because there are ladies out there who aren't.

[Begs]

Good idea to publicise this, maybe it will keep the hoardes of sex tourists that travel thousands of miles just to exploit people away from Thailand...........

It is a good idea to publicise this if it encourages people to practise safe sex but as for wanting to keep the "hoardes of sex tourists" away from Thailand is stupid.

There are lots of girls in Pattaya who have several boyfriends sending them money every month because the girl promises undying love for them.

These girls are getting an average of 10,000 baht pm/pbf and 4 or 5 boyfriends aren't uncommen

All this money goes into the economy one way or another wether it's partying in pattaya or supporting the family in Issan

All money is good money and with these girls getting so much of it begs the question

Who is exploiting who ????????

Cant see hoardes of Thai gals in London pulling guys into Travel agancies, holding guns at their heads and forcing them to buy tickets to Thailand.

[kurgen]

Only 30 - 40% wear condoms

I thought gambling was illegal in Thailand