The First Steps With Travelers' Diarrhea
Travelers' Diarrhea: the few things that matter most, and the mistakes that catch people out early.
Diarrhea picked up while traveling, usually from contaminated food or water.
Key takeaways
- Main risk: dehydration
- Treatment: oral rehydration salts and plenty of fluids
- Most useful single change: Pack oral rehydration salts before you travel.
- Commonest mistake: Loperamide if you have bloody diarrhea or a fever.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Why bother
It is the most common travel illness, usually clears on its own, and the main risk is dehydration rather than the infection.
Start here
These two first. Everything else is easier once they are habit.
- Pack oral rehydration salts before you travel
- Drink sealed bottled water or water that has been properly boiled
Then add these
The next additions, when you are ready for them.
- Avoid ice, salads washed in local water, and fruit you have not peeled yourself
- Wash your hands with soap and water before eating
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Main risk | dehydration |
| Treatment | oral rehydration salts and plenty of fluids |
| Antibiotics | not usually needed for mild illness |
| Loperamide | avoid if there is blood in the stool or a fever |
| Food rule | boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it |
Common early mistakes
- Loperamide if you have bloody diarrhea or a fever
- Tap water, including for brushing teeth, where water quality is uncertain
- Taking antibiotics "just in case" without medical advice
Related topics
- What the Guidance Really Says About Diarrhea (Digestive Health)
- What the Guidance Really Says About Norovirus (Infectious Diseases)
- Common Childhood Infections: What the Evidence Actually Says (Children's Health)
- Fluid and Kidney Health: What Published Guidance Supports (Kidney Health)
Where to go next
- Travelers' Diarrhea: A Practical Checklist
- What People Get Wrong About Travelers' Diarrhea
- Travelers' Diarrhea — the reference entry
- Travel Health: The Complete Guide
- Flying and Health: What Published Guidance Supports
- Sun and Heat Abroad: What the Evidence Actually Says
When to speak to a doctor
Get medical care, abroad or after you return, for bloody diarrhea, high fever, severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, or signs of dehydration, and see your doctor for diarrhea lasting more than a week after you get home, mentioning where you traveled. Call 911 or go to the emergency room for fainting, confusion, or very little or no urine.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.
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