All about diarrhea  causes of diarrhea symptoms of diarrhea diagnosis of diarrhea treatments for diarrhea acute diarrhea infant diarrhea prevention and treatment causes of acute diarrhea chronic diarrhea causes of chronic diarrhea traveler's diarrhea causes of traveler's diarrhea symptoms of traveler's diarrhea traveler's diarrhea diagnosis treatment for traveler's diarrhea prevention of traveler's diarrhea Articles in signs and symptoms of digestive diseases - diarrhea vomiting nausea gas in the digestive tract heartburn constipation |
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How to prevent traveler's diarrhea
Many cases of traveler's diarrhea can be prevented. Travelers should dine at restaurants with a reputation for safety and avoid foods and beverages from street vendors. They should consume only cooked foods that are still hot, fruit that can be
peeled, and carbonated beverages without ice; uncooked vegetables should be avoided.
Alcohol does not sterilize water, so be cautious about contaminated water (including ice) used in mixed drinks. Carbonated beverages and bottled water are usually safe to drink, but don't use ice, which could be contaminated. Drink from the bottle with a straw, rather than out of a glass. The glass may have been washed with contaminated water. Purify water by boiling it for at least five minutes or using a water purification system. Hot coffee and tea usually are safe to drink because the water has been boiled. Don't eat fruits and vegetables unless they can be peeled, and you peel them yourself to make sure that they are not contaminated after they are peeled. Avoid dairy products, unless you are sure they have been pasteurized, and avoid undercooked meat and fish. Wash your hands with the cleanest water available, or disinfect them with alcohol wipes before eating.
Bismuth subsalicylate suspensions must be taken in large doses (60 mL qid) to be protective. The role of prophylactic antibiotics is controversial. They should probably be reserved for patients particularly susceptible to the consequences of traveler's diarrhea (eg, immunocompromised patients). |
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More information on diarrhea
What is diarrhea? - Diarrhea is a condition characterized by frequent bowel movements and feces that are soft or watery, and that may contain blood, pus, or mucus. Severe diarrhea in children can lead to dehydration and death.
What causes diarrhea? - Diarrhea may be caused by infections of the digestive system, medicines such as antibiotics, malabsorption, irritable bowel syndrome, or other factors.
What're the symptoms of diarrhea? - Diarrhea is characterized by frequent loose stools. Patients with diarrhea present with various clinical features depending on the underlying cause.
How is diarrhea diagnosed? - Most cases of acute diarrhea never need diagnosis or treatment. The most useful are stool culture and examination for parasites.
What're the treatments for diarrhea? - Treatment is ideally directed toward correcting the cause; however, the first aim should be to prevent or treat dehydration and nutritional deficiencies.
What's acute diarrhea? - Acute diarrhea is a disorder in which people develop loose stools and increased frequency of stools. Acute diarrhea lasts for a day or two and often stops as suddenly as it started.
Infant diarrhea prevention and treatment - Most acute diarrhea in infants and young children is due to viral gastroenteritis and is usually short-lived. Antibiotics are not routinely prescribed for viral gastroenteritis.
What are the causes of acute diarrhea? - The most common causes of acute diarrhea are infectious agents. Other important causes include food poisoning, medications, inflammatory or ischemic bowel disease.
What is chronic diarrhea? - Chronic diarrhea is defined as loose stool that persists for greater than 1 month. Chronic diarrhea is usually caused by a parasite.
What are the causes of chronic diarrhea? - Chronic diarrhea is frequently due to many of the same things that cause the shorter episodes (infections, medications, etc.).
What is traveler's diarrhea? - Traveler's diarrhea is a term used to describe the diarrhea caused by infection with bacteria, protozoa, or viruses ingested by consuming food or water that has been contaminated.
What are the causes of traveler's diarrhea? - Traveler's diarrhea may be caused by any of several bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Cooks and food handlers may have the germs that cause traveler's diarrhea.
What are the symptoms of traveler's diarrhea? - Nausea, vomiting, borborygmi, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea begin 12 to 72 h after ingesting contaminated food or water.
How is traveler's diarrhea diagnosed? - In some cases, a doctor might be able to identify the infecting organism, which could lead to a specific treatment.
What's the treatment for traveler's diarrhea? - Dehydration is the biggest danger of traveler's diarrhea. In most cases, diarrhea ends within three to five days without antibiotic treatment.
How to prevent traveler's diarrhea? - Many cases of traveler's diarrhea can be prevented. Travelers should dine at restaurants with a reputation for safety and avoid foods and beverages from street vendors. |
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