How Is Diarrhea Spread Among Travelers?

Traveler’s diarrhea is a digestive tract disorder that often causes loose stools and stomach cramps when traveling to developing countries. It is caused by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water, and is the most common illness affecting international travelers. Attack rates range from 30-70 of travelers during a 2-week period, depending on the destination and season.

Travelers’ diarrhea is usually caused by bacterial infections from consuming contaminated food or water. The highest-risk destinations are in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Mexico, and Central and South America. Travelers who avoid drinking local water may still become infected by brushing their teeth with an improperly rinsed toothbrush, drinking bottled drinks with ice made from local water, or eating contaminated food or water.

Travelers’ diarrhea is easily spread from person-to-person or by consuming contaminated food or water. Most cases are mild and last for a few days. Travelers are most commonly exposed to bacteria, viruses, or parasites to which they have had little exposure and thus no immunity.

Travelers’ diarrhea is most commonly spread through fecal-oral transmission of the causative organism, typically through consumption of contaminated food or water. Risk factors for travel to high-risk destinations include being under 30 years old, traveling to a high-risk destination with prior residence in higher-risk countries, and having a proton pump inhibitor use.

The most common pathogen identified is enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, followed by Campylobacter jejuni. Infectious causes include a variety of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and protozoa. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli has been identified as the most common cause of traveler’s diarrhea.

In summary, traveler’s diarrhea is a common digestive tract disorder that can be caused by consuming contaminated food or water, and is more common in developing countries than in high-risk countries. It is essential to stay hydrated, seek antibiotic treatment, and avoid consuming contaminated food or water.

Can you get diarrhea from being around someone who has it?

Diarrhea is usually contagious when it is acute, meaning it comes on suddenly. Acute diarrhea is often caused by a microorganism such as a bacteria or virus. These microorganisms can be easily passed between people or even between animals and people. Chronic or long-lasting cases of diarrhea are more likely to have causes that are not contagious.

Diarrhea is defined as loose or watery stool that occurs three or more times per day.

This article covers infectious diarrhea, its types, causes, treatment, and prevention. It also discusses how you can tell if diarrhea is contagious and how long you can expect symptoms to last.

How do you get traveller diarrhea?

Causes. It’s possible that traveler’s diarrhea may stem from the stress of traveling or a change in diet. But usually infectious agents — such as bacteria, viruses or parasites — are to blame. 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 used to the bacteria and have developed immunity to them.

Risk factors. Each year millions of international travelers experience traveler’s diarrhea. High-risk destinations for traveler’s diarrhea include areas of:

• Central America.
• South America.
• Mexico.
• Africa.
• South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Who is most at risk for travelers diarrhea?

Travelers’ Diarrhea in Children. Children who accompany their parents on trips to high-risk destinations can contract TD, and their risk is elevated if they are visiting friends and family. Causative organisms include bacteria responsible for TD in adults, as well as viruses (e. g., norovirus, rotavirus). The main treatment for TD in children is ORS. Infants and younger children with TD are at greater risk for dehydration, which is best prevented by the early initiation of oral rehydration.

Consider recommending empiric antibiotic therapy for bloody or severe watery diarrhea or evidence of systemic infection. In older children and teenagers, treatment guidelines follow those for adults, with possible adjustments in the dose of medication. Among younger children, macrolides (e. g., azithromycin) are considered first-line antibiotic therapy. Rifaximin is approved for use in children aged ≥12 years. Rifamycin SV is approved for use only in adults.

Breastfed infants should continue to nurse on demand, and bottle-fed infants can continue to drink formula. Older infants and children should be encouraged to eat and should consume a regular diet. Children in diapers are at risk for developing diaper rash on their buttocks in response to liquid stool. Barrier creams (e. g., zinc oxide, petrolatum) could be applied at the onset of diarrhea to help prevent and treat rash; hydrocortisone cream is the best treatment for an established rash. More information about diarrhea and dehydration is discussed in Sec. 7, Ch. 3, Traveling Safely with Infants & Children.

How is diarrhea transmitted person to person?

Diarrhoea is usually a symptom of an infection in the intestinal tract, which can be caused by a variety of bacterial, viral and parasitic organisms. Infection is spread through contaminated food or drinking-water, or from person-to-person as a result of poor hygiene.

Interventions to prevent diarrhoea, including safe drinking-water, use of improved sanitation and hand washing with soap, can reduce disease risk. Diarrhoea should be treated with oral rehydration solution (ORS), a solution of clean water, sugar and salt. In addition, a 10–14 day supplemental treatment course of dispersible zinc tablets shortens diarrhoea duration and improves outcomes.

• Acute watery diarrhoea – lasts several hours or days and includes cholera
• acute bloody diarrhoea – also called dysentery
• persistent diarrhoea – lasts 14 days or longer.

Scope of diarrhoeal disease. Diarrhoeal disease is a leading cause of child mortality and morbidity in the world, and mostly results from contaminated food and water sources. Worldwide, 780 million individuals lack access to improved drinking-water and 2. 5 billion lack improved sanitation. Diarrhoea due to infection is widespread throughout developing countries.

Why don t locals get travelers diarrhea?

Bacteria, parasites, and other substances in the water and food can cause traveler’s diarrhea. People who live in these areas don’t often get sick because their bodies are used to the bacteria or parasites. You can lower your risk of getting traveler’s diarrhea by avoiding water, ice, and food that may be contaminated.

Can diarrhea spread through air?

Risk of spreading infection Viruses are easily spread, mainly through direct contact with vomit or faeces from an infected person, or through contact with a contaminated object or surface. Occasionally, the virus may be transmitted by airborne particles generated from vomiting and diarrhoea.

• Diarrhoea is the frequent passing of loose, watery faeces.
• In most cases, acute diarrhoea is self-limiting and resolves after a day or 2.
• Acute diarrhoea in babies and young children can be life threatening due to the risks of dehydration.

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:

How to avoid traveller diarrhea?

RecommendationsPractise safe food and water precautions. Wash your hands frequently. … Carry oral rehydration solutions. Discuss prevention and treatment options of travellers’ diarrhea with your healthcare provider before you travel. Monitor your health.

What is travellers’ diarrhea?. Travellers’ diarrhea is the most common illness that affects travellers. It is easily spread from person-to-person or by consuming contaminated food or water. Travellers’ diarrhea is caused by many different bacteria (including E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella and Campylobacter ), parasites (including Giardia, Crytosporidium, Cyclospora and others) and viruses (such as norovirus and rotavirus).

What is my risk?. Travellers are at higher risk when going to destinations with poor standards of hygiene and sanitation and/or eating at places with poor food handling practices.

Young children, the elderly, and people with existing health problems are more at risk.

How is traveler’s diarrhea spread from person to person?

Is traveler’s diarrhea contagious?. The infection can spread from you to another person if they come into contact with your germs. The germs would have to travel from your gastrointestinal tract to the other person’s. Germs can spread through tiny particles of vomit or poop that linger on surfaces or transfer to food. Another person can become infected by ingesting that food, or by touching those surfaces and then touching their mouth.

What are the symptoms of traveler’s diarrhea?. Symptoms typically appear within six to 24 hours after a bacterial or viral infection. It may take one to three weeks for signs of an intestinal parasite infection to show up. This may explain traveler’s diarrhea that occurs a week or more after returning home. Symptoms are usually mild. You may have traveler’s diarrhea if you experience three or more loose stools within 24 hours. You may also experience:

How long does traveler’s diarrhea last?. Most of the time, your symptoms will start to improve on their own within two to three days. If you have a bacterial infection, which is the most common kind, you may continue to have diminishing symptoms for up to a week. Parasite infection is trickier and can last for weeks to months without treatment. If your symptoms don’t appear to be improving, you might have a parasite infection.

How quickly does traveler’s diarrhea hit?

History and Physical. The onset of symptoms will typically occur 1 to 2 weeks after arrival in a resource-limited destination, though travelers can develop symptoms throughout their stay or shortly after arrival. Travelers’ diarrhea is considered as three or more loose stools in 24 hours or a two-fold increase from baseline bowel habits. Diarrhea often occurs precipitously and is accompanied by abdominal cramping, fever, nausea, or vomiting. Patients should be asked about any blood in their stool, fevers, or any associated symptoms. A thorough travel history should be obtained including timeline and itinerary, diet and water consumption at their destination, illnesses in other travelers, and possible sexual exposures.

In most self-limited cases physical examination will show mild diffuse abdominal tender to palpation. Providers should assess for dehydration through skin turgor and capillary refill. In more severe cases patients may have severe abdominal pain, high fever, and evidence of hypovolemia (tachycardia, hypotension).

Evaluation. Laboratory investigation is typically not required in most cases. In patients with concerning features, such as with high fever, hematochezia, or tenesmus, stool studies can be obtained. Typical stool studies include stool culture, fecal leukocytes, and lactoferrin. The stool should be assessed for ova and parasites in patients with longer duration of symptoms. New multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screens are becoming available and provide quick analysis of multiple stool pathogens. These screens, however, are expensive, are not widely available, and may not change the clinical management of patients.

Can I be around people if I have diarrhea?

You are considered infectious for as long as diarrhea continues. Microorganisms causing diarrhea are spread from hand to mouth; hand washing, care with diapering, and staying out of work or school are a few ways to prevent infecting family and other contacts.

How long does it take to get diarrhea after being exposed?

Acute diarrhea is defined as three or more loose or watery stools per day. Diarrhea can be caused by infections or other factors. Sometimes, the cause of diarrhea is not known. Diarrhea caused by an infection usually begins 12 hours to four days after exposure and resolves within three to seven days.