Blood and body fluid exposure as a health risk for international travelers.

health risks, mostly from enteric and vector-borne pathogens.1–3 Although less frequent, bloodand body fluid-borne pathogens can also pose a health risk, one which is dependent on the prevalence of the infection in the destination country, and the lifestyle and activities of the traveler. For example, hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are known hazards for international travelers,due to casual sexual activity, or contaminated medical equipment and blood products.4–8 The current fad of tattooing and body piercing among young travelers poses an additional risk for bloodborne pathogens. The objective of our study was to estimate the extent of potential exposure to bloodand body fluidborne pathogens among a group of returned international travelers.