Systemic Review: Spreading of Organisms Through Medical Tourism and its Burden

Abstract

In the pinnacle of modern technology and globalization, when overseas travel is readily available and online health care access is just a click away, medical tourism is hot topic both from a national and global health perspective. Healthcare travel abroad has increased rapidly; interventions include organ transplant; cardiac surgery; reproductive care; and joint, cosmetic, and dental procedures. Individuals who receive medical care abroad are vulnerable, sentinel populations who sample the local environment and carry home unusual and resistant infections, documented in many reports. This review mainly selected all the relevant articles that study patients after they have returned home. All types of evaluative study designs have been considered as inclusion criteria. Medical tourists are at risk for hospital-associated and procedure-related diseases as well as for locally endemic infections. Patients may not volunteer details about care abroad, so clinicians must inquire about medical procedures abroad as well as recent travel. Special infection control measures may be warranted. Healthcare abroad is associated with diverse financial, legal, ethical, and health-related issues. We focused on reasons for seeking medical attention and problems the infectious disease clinician may encounter and provide a framework for evaluating returned medical tourists with suspected infections. A better system is needed to ensure broad access to high-quality health services, continuity of care, and surveillance for complications.