Australian workers who go out on cheap Asian vacations are at high risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, according to the Australian Medical Association.

The Australian reported has reported that there has been a noted increase in sexually-transmitted diseases in the last three to four years among fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) worker who visited Asian countries.

"Whenever you get those rises in sexually transmitted diseases that's almost certainly a sign that people are having high risk, unprotected sex," AMA Western Australia president Dave Mountain said to Australia Associated Press.

The AMA Western Australia is the largest independent professional organization for medical practitioners and medical students.

"The real concern then is that HIV rates are going to start increasing as well," Dr. Mountain said.

He added that some of these FIFO workers are bringing back resistant strains of HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhoea.

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"Those diseases, we're going to be getting very resistant bugs coming into our very high risk communities already," Dr. Mountain said.

He said at risk are those young, well-paid, single and male FIFO workers especially in the mining and oil and gas industries who work for long hours and sometimes isolated.

"They have a pretty tedious time when they're on the sites... then they have two to three weeks off," Dr. Mountain said.

He added that the rise in sexually transmitted diseases can also be attributed to the local sex industry.

Last month, Dr. Mountain urged the FIFO Federal Parliamentary Inquiry to examine key issues relating to the health of workers, especially mental health, obesity and proper access to general practitioners.

“It is important and well overdue that the economic issues surrounding FIFO are examined by a Parliamentary committee, but if they don’t include health as a key part of their terms of reference, committee members are missing a significant opportunity to have a real impact on the lives of FIFO workers and their families,” he said.

“Recent reports have shown significant health concerns around FIFO workers – ranging from diabetes, to obesity, mental health and heart issues and it is important that any review involves this key area,” he said.

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