Countries such as Sweden that have a low prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) offer the opportunity to discern and study transmission of imported cases of MRSA. We analyzed 444 imported cases of MRSA acquisition reported in Sweden during 2000-2003. Risk for MRSA in returning travelers ranged from 0.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.01-0.4) per 1 million travelers to ...

We examined seasonality and annual trends for dengue cases among 522 returned travelers reported to the international GeoSentinel Surveillance Network. Dengue cases showed region-specific peaks for Southeast Asia (June, September), South Central Asia (October), South America (March), and the Caribbean (August, October). Travel-related dengue exhibited annual oscillations with several epidemics ...

We propose a new service model that incorporates input from locals to provide instant travel assistance. No matter how well travelers plan, circumstances at their destination invariably force them to modify their plans, especially towards the end of a tour. However, it is difficult for travelers to get useful information or support. Accordingly, we propose a service model whereby on-site travel...

This paper presents results from a study about the Internet as an information source for travel planning based on interviews with travelers in 13 countries in 2005. In 1997, a similar large scale survey was carried out in 15 European countries. The study shows a dramatic but well known change in information sources used by travelers since 1997. The Internet has become the most preferred informa...

We analyzed prospective data on 17,228 European patients who sought treatment at GeoSentinel sites from 1997 to 2007. Gastrointestinal illness (particularly in tourists), fever (those visiting friends and relatives [VFRs]), and skin disorders (in tourists) were the most common reasons for seeking medical care. Diagnoses varied by country of origin, region visited, or categories of travelers. VF...

Longitudinal data examining travel-associated illness patterns are lacking. To address this need and determine trends and clusters in travel-related illness, we examined data for 2000-2010, prospectively collected for 42,223 ill travelers by 18 GeoSentinel sites. The most common destinations from which ill travelers returned were sub-Saharan Africa (26%), Southeast Asia (17%), south-central Asi...

Introduction: International travelers are exposed to health risks and may transmit infections before, during, or after travel. Travelers are expected to take vaccinations prior to travel. The current study assessed the factors associated with the practice of pre-travel vaccination among travelers departing through Addis Ababa Bole International Airport after their stay in Ethio...

BACKGROUND For the first time, an outbreak of chikungunya has been reported in the Americas. Locally acquired infections have been confirmed in fourteen Caribbean countries and dependent territories, Guyana and French Guiana, in which a large number of North American travelers vacation. Should some travelers become infected with chikungunya virus, they could potentially introduce it into the Un...

BACKGROUND The neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Due to the growth in international travel and immigration, NTDs may be diagnosed in countries of the western world, but there has been no specific focus in the literature on imported NTDs. METHODS Retrospective study of a cohort of immigrants and travelers diagnosed with one of the 13 core N...

This paper examines the travel behavior of the Chinese and Korean tourism market following the Japan Earthquake in a bid to identify travelers who are likely to be most and least resilient in the event of a significant disaster. The post disaster travel behavior of travelers from these two countries is analyzed to reveal the circumstances under which travelers would go to Japan despite the eart...