Travellers’ diarrhoea is a common condition that individuals experience when travelling overseas. According to travel health pro¹, 20 to 60 per cent of travellers are affected by this condition when visiting high risk locations. Travellers’ diarrhoea is commonly spread by poor sanitation and hygiene. Patients with pre-existing health problems may experience more serious symptoms.

Symptoms for travellers’ diarrhoea is usually described as the passing of watery or loose stools 3 or more times a day whilst travelling or shortly after returning home.

Here is some brief advice you can provide your customers to improve personal hygiene and reduce the risk of travellers’ diarrhoea:

• Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before preparing, handling or eating food and going to the toilet.
• Always carry antibacterial gel or wipes in case there is no availability to running water.
• Try to ensure plates, cutlery and glasses are clean before use and washed with sterile water
• Ensure you drink sterile water – in most countries it is not recommended to drink tap water - try to stick to bottled water (check the seal is not broken).
• Avoid having ice cubes or crushed ice – this may not be made of sterile water.
• Try and avoid salads – unless they have been washed in sterile water.
• Ensure food is cooked thoroughly before eating.

Read more on the symptoms for travellers’ diarrhoea and risk areas here.

In most cases, diarrhoea will clear up in 3-4 days with treatment (i.e. taking medication to stop diarrhoea like loperamide), however, it is important that individuals keep their fluids topped up, as this can be lost from each bowel movement. Recommending rehydration therapy to be taken after each bowel movement will ensure they can keep fluids maintained.

^{[1] travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/53/travellers-diarrhoea}