Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28931136›Full record

ReviewJournal of travel medicine2017

What proportion of international travellers acquire a travel-related illness? A review of the literature.

Kristina M Angelo, Phyllis E Kozarsky, Edward T Ryan, Lin H Chen, Mark J Sotir

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of travel medicine, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 57 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
57citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

57 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  7. Frontiers in nutrition · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Kristina M AngeloDivision of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
Phyllis E KozarskyDivision of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
Edward T RyanMassachusetts General Hospital Travelers' Advice and Immunization Center, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Lin H ChenHarvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St., Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Mark J SotirDivision of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.

Funding

Intramural CDC HHS CC999999NCEZID CDC HHS U01 CK000490
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionAs international travel increases, travellers may be at increased risk of acquiring infectious diseases not endemic in their home countries. Many journal articles and reference books related to travel medicine cite that between 22-64% of international travellers become ill during or after travel; however, this information is minimal, outdated and limited by poor generalizability. We aim to provide a current and more accurate estimate of the proportion of international travellers who acquire a travel-related illness.

methodsWe identified studies via PubMed or travel medicine experts, published between January 1, 1976-December 31, 2016 that included the number of international travellers acquiring a travel-related illness. We excluded studies that focused on a single disease or did not determine a rate based on the total number of travellers. We abstracted information on traveller demographics, trip specifics, study enrollment and follow-up and number of ill travellers and their illnesses.

resultsOf 743 studies, nine met the inclusion criteria. The data sources were from North America (four studies) and Europe (five studies). Most travellers were tourists, the most frequent destination regions were Asia and Africa, and the median trip duration ranged from 8-21 days. Six studies enrolled participants at the travellers' pre-travel consultation. All studies collected data through either extraction from the medical record, weekly diaries, or pre- and post-travel questionnaires. Data collection timeframes varied by study. Between 6-87% of travellers became ill across all studies. Four studies provided the best estimate: between 43-79% of travellers who frequently visited developing nations (e.g. India, Tanzania, and Kenya) became ill; travellers most frequently reported diarrhoea.

conclusionThis is the most comprehensive assessment available on the proportion of international travellers that develop a travel-related illness. Additional cohort studies would provide needed data to more precisely determine the rates of illness in international travellers. KEYWORDS: International travel, travel, illness.

Indexed as

TravelTravel-Related IllnessGlobal HealthHumansSurveys and Questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID28931136
PMCPMC5825178

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.