Most traveler's diarrhea is from bacteria. Diarrhea from viruses and parasites is less common. Food and water can be infected by people:. You are at risk for this condition if you travel to a country that has poor public sanitation and hygiene. Poor hygiene in local restaurants is also a risk factor. Places that have the highest risk are often in developing countries in:.
If you travel to a developing country, you are more likely to get this illness if you eat food or have drinks:. The main symptom is loose stool that occurs suddenly. The stool may be watery. Other symptoms may include:. The loss of body fluid from diarrhea and vomiting can lead to dehydration. This can be serious. Contact your healthcare provider if you are not urinating as much as usual.
A small number of people can develop post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome. This can cause symptoms such as:. Health Home Conditions and Diseases. Diarrhea is the term for bowel movements that are loose or watery. Traveler's diarrhea occurs within 10 days of travel to an area with poor public hygiene. You typically develop traveler's diarrhea after ingesting food or water contaminated with organisms from feces.
So why aren't natives of high-risk countries affected in the same way? Often their bodies have become accustomed to the bacteria and have developed immunity to them. Each year millions of international travelers experience traveler's diarrhea. High-risk destinations for traveler's diarrhea include areas of:. Your chances of getting traveler's diarrhea are mostly determined by your destination. But certain groups of people have a greater risk of developing the condition.
These include:. Because you lose vital fluids, salts and minerals during a bout with traveler's diarrhea, you may become dehydrated, especially during the summer months. Dehydration is especially dangerous for children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Dehydration caused by diarrhea can cause serious complications, including organ damage, shock or coma.
Signs and symptoms of dehydration include a very dry mouth, intense thirst, little or no urination, dizziness, or extreme weakness. The general rule of thumb when traveling to another country is this: Boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it. But, it's still possible to get sick even if you follow these rules. If it's not possible to buy bottled water or boil your water, bring some means to purify water.
Consider a water-filter pump with a microstrainer filter that can filter out small microorganisms. You can also chemically disinfect water with iodine or chlorine. Iodine tends to be more effective, but is best reserved for short trips, as too much iodine can be harmful to your system. You can purchase water-disinfecting tablets containing chlorine, iodine tablets or crystals, or other disinfecting agents at camping stores and pharmacies.
Be sure to follow the directions on the package. Public health experts generally don't recommend taking antibiotics to prevent traveler's diarrhea, because doing so can contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Antibiotics provide no protection against viruses and parasites, but they can give travelers a false sense of security about the risks of consuming local foods and beverages.
They can also cause unpleasant side effects, such as skin rashes, skin reactions to the sun and vaginal yeast infections. As a preventive measure, some doctors suggest taking bismuth subsalicylate, which has been shown to decrease the likelihood of diarrhea.
However, don't take this medication for longer than three weeks, and don't take it at all if you're pregnant or allergic to aspirin. Most cases are mild, but for some people it is severe.
Travellers' diarrhoea tends to happen in the first week of travel. Symptoms last on average 3 to 5 days and usually get better without you needing specific treatment. Preventing dehydration When you have diarrhoea, you can lose a lot of water from your body and become dehydrated. These can be bought in pharmacies and supermarkets. All rehydrating drinks must be prepared using safe water. Additional Preventive Measures Tablets to prevent diarrhoea are not routinely recommended as their side effects may be worse than the diarrhoea.
This is an increasing problem around the world. All antibiotics have side effects, and can interact with other medicines that you may be taking.
You should always read the patient information leaflet that comes with the medicine. Can be bought in pharmacies. Can cause blackening of your poo and tongue. It may interact with other medicines and is not suitable for everyone. You should check with the pharmacist if it is safe for you to take.
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