The Southern Health Board yesterday issued a warning to people to practise safe sex after noting an emerging and worrying trend in the number of young men returning from Thailand with sexually transmitted infections.
According to the board's consultant in infectious diseases, Dr Mary Horgan, there is a definite upward trend in the number of young men returning from holidays in Thailand presenting with chlamydia, gonorrhoea and hepatitis B, all of which are preventable.
"I cannot emphasise enough the importance of practising safe sex in order to avoid contracting an STI and other diseases such as HIV. While there is no gender bias in contracting these infections, this new trend is very much about young men holidaying abroad," Dr Horgan said.
"Most STIs are avoidable either by prevention or vaccination. People must take responsibility for their health. You cannot and must not depend on someone else to do this for you. The message is very simple, think twice and use protection," she said.
Anyone concerned that they might have contracted an STI should attend their local clinic. Some STIs could have no symptoms and could have serious health repercussions if left untreated.