Epidemiologic basis for the practice of travel medicine

The major health risks for travelers to developing countries include injuries, malaria, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, AIDS and travelers’ diarrhea. Most illnesses can be avoided by use of preventive measures including use of seatbelts in cars, hygienic measures and use of effective immunization and chemoprophylaxis. Practitioners of travel medicine need to know the health risks that confront travelers in order to advise which preventive measures should be used. Most available data apply to travelers visiting developing countries.