Health risks associated with visiting friends and relatives in developing countries

An increasingly large proportion of immigrants to developed countries is arriving from less developed countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. When these immigrants return to their country of origin to visit friends and relatives, they are at high risk of acquiring tropical infections, compared with other travelers. Immigrants who return to their country of origin to visit friends and relatives (VFRs) are more likely to travel to rural areas for long periods of time, to consume contaminated food and beverages, and to have more prolonged, intimate contact with local populations. As a group, they are less likely to seek pretravel advice or take antimalarial chemoprophylaxis. This article discusses the increased risk of tuberculosis, malaria, food- and waterborne illnesses, hepatitis A, and HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in VFRs. Copyright © 2005 by Current Science Inc.