International travel among HIV-positive and HIV-negative men who have sex with men, San Francisco, USA

We measured the prevalence of international travel, the demographic and risk profile of international travellers and risk and preventive behaviours of travellers among HIV-negative and HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM), based in San Francisco, CA, USA, through the addition of questions to the local implementation of the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance survey in 2008. Of 270 MSM participating in the survey, slightly more than one-quarter (26.3%) had travelled internationally in the last year. Those with a history of international travel were more likely to be foreign born, of a higher socioeconomic status and HIV uninfected. Of eight HIV-positive MSM who travelled internationally (11.3% of HIV-positive MSM), all were on antiretroviral therapy and only three recalled being vaccinated for hepatitis A and B. Human papillomavirus infection was also higher among international travellers. Travel health services must be improved to address special needs of this population of international travellers.