Travel-associated sexually transmitted infections in Japan: An observational study using imported infectious disease registry data

• Published in: Global Health & Medicine Vol. 6; no. 4; pp. 2023.01129 - 267
• Main Authors: Konishi, Keiji, Kutsuna, Satoshi, Yamamoto, Kei, Nomoto, Hidetoshi, Shirano, Michinori, Yamato, Masaya, Yoshimura, Yukihiro, Sakamoto, Naoya, Nagasaka, Atsushi, Ohmagari, Norio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Center for Global Health and Medicine 01.01.2024
• Subjects: HIV; sexually transmitted infections; Travel medicine
• ISSN: 2434-9186; 2434-9194; 2434-9194
• DOI: 10.35772/ghm.2023.01129

International travel is a risk factor for acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) owing to factors such as increased sexual opportunities, a sense of freedom, and the allure of the sex industry. We investigated the incidence of travel-associated STIs in Japan using data from the Japan Registry for Infectious Diseases from Abroad (J-RIDA) reported by 17 participating medical institutions between October 2017 and December 2022. Data were collected on the patients' age, sex, nationality, chief complaint, whether they had visited a travel clinic before travel, travel history, and final diagnosis. Of 4545 cases of travel-associated illness reported, 52 (1.1%) were STIs. Most patients with STIs were male (81%) with a median age of 31 years. HIV (17%), genital herpes (13%), syphilis (13%), and gonorrhea (12%) were the most frequently reported STIs. Only one patient had visited a travel clinic before travel. Promoting awareness and vaccination is crucial for preventing travel-associated STIs.