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Traveler's Diarrhea: Don't Let It Ruin Your Vacation

Robin considered herself a seasoned traveler. She had been to Mexico before. When she visited a friend in Mexico City, she knew not to drink the water. However, at a dance club in Acapulco she had a drink with ice. She spent the next 7 hours on a bus with traveler's diarrhea (TD).

TD is one the most common travel illnesses. It happens to travelers who ingest contaminated food or drink. They may develop symptoms such as:

Symptoms can last for 3 to 7 days.

Decide on a Location

TD is most likely to affect visitors to Latin America, Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East. TD is a risk in places with poor sanitation and poor refrigeration. When you travel, be careful where you eat. Choose hotels and restaurants that cater to world travelers. They are generally safer than open-air markets. Do not eat at a street corner vendor or a festival.

Have a Prevention Plan

If you do decide to visit a high risk location:

In general, do not eat:

See your doctor before you travel overseas. Your doctor may give you medicines to take with you. They may include antibiotics and medicine to stop diarrhea. You can use them if you develop TD. These medicines are usually not advised to prevent problems.. Ask your doctor if you have questions.

Getting Treatment Right Away

What if you do get sick? At the first sign of diarrhea, take the antibiotics as advised by your doctor. Do not take more antibiotics than the doctor advised. Start taking anti-diarrheal medicines as needed. They should help ease symptoms faster.

Drinking lots of fluids is very important. Oral rehydration salts (ORS) will provide important minerals. You can buy them before your trip and pack them in your toiletry kit. They are also available in most travel locations. You will have to mix the ORS with a safe water source.

Do not give anti-diarrheal medicine to young children,. Young children with diarrhea should see a doctor early on. They are at a higher risk for dehydration than adults. Make sure your child is drinking plenty of fluids. . Be alert for severe diarrhea (10 or more watery poops per day). Also watch if the child is peeing less frequently (a sign of dehydration). Get medical care right away.

Knowing When to Get Help

Get medical care right away if you have:

In some cases, TD lasts despite antibiotic treatment. Rarely, it can trigger other digestive problems. See your doctor if symptoms worsen or do not go away.

RESOURCES:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov

International Society of Travel Medicine
http://www.istm.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca

Travel Canada
https://travel.gc.ca

REFERENCES:

Food and water safety. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/food-water-safety. Accessed October 26, 2021.

Traveler's diarrhea. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/travelers-diarrhea. Accessed October 26, 2021.

Traveler's diarrhea. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/travelers-diarrhea. Accessed October 26, 2021.

Water disinfection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/water-disinfection. Accessed October 26, 2021.

Last reviewed October 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board