Among adults for whom additional risk information was available (67%; 9282 of 13 891), 4.6% (70 of 1516) selleckchem of individuals probably infected abroad reported sex with a commercial sex worker compared with 0.7% (51 of 7766) among UK-born adults who acquired HIV infection in the UK (P < 0.01). Contact with a commercial sex worker was reported most frequently among

men infected in Thailand (11%; 39 of 347). We provide evidence of a substantial number of UK-born adults over the past decade acquiring HIV infection in countries with generalized HIV epidemics, and in common holiday destinations. Thailand, a common holiday destination for UK residents and one that, along with some other South-East Asian countries, has become synonymous with ‘sex tourism’ [11], was by far the country most commonly reported. Of particular concern was the high proportion of men infected in Thailand who reported sex with a commercial sex worker. With

sex tourists predominately being male and older, it is of interest that, among UK nationals visiting Thailand from the UK in 2010, Ceritinib an estimated two-thirds (68%) were male, of whom nearly half (45%) were aged 45 years or above [1]. Our findings also indicate that for some adults acquisition of HIV infection abroad is likely to be linked to travel for reasons of family ties: for example, the majority of men and women of Black-African ethnicity infected abroad acquired HIV infection in an African country [89% (56 of 63) and 99% (84 of 85), respectively]. Limited funds mTOR inhibitor for HIV prevention and testing have largely been focused on groups most at risk of acquiring HIV infection in the UK. Our findings call for the extension of these efforts to reduce HIV transmission and promote earlier diagnosis of HIV infection among travellers abroad. This is particularly important given that the majority of individuals in our analyses were diagnosed late, thereby increasing their risks of morbidity, mortality and transmission of HIV infection to sexual partners. Sexual health

advice should routinely be provided in travel health consultations and in occupational health travel advice packs, particularly to those travelling to high HIV prevalence areas and destinations for sex tourism. General practitioners and practice nurses should also consider opportunistically asking patients about future travel plans during consultations and/or new patient checks. With more people using the internet for booking their travel, airlines and tour operators offering services to countries with a high prevalence of HIV should also consider providing links to advice on sexual health. Safer sex messages should include an awareness of the potential detrimental health and social impacts of the sex industry. We would like to thank NHS HIV-related services in the UK and the many individuals who contribute to HIV surveillance.