Traveler's diarrhea

ARTICLE SECTIONS

Definition

Traveler's diarrhea is the most common illness you're likely to experience while traveling. Nothing can ruin a vacation or business trip more quickly than loose stools and abdominal cramps. But traveler's diarrhea usually isn't serious — it's just unpleasant.

A trip to a foreign country by no means guarantees gastrointestinal discomfort. But if you visit a place where the climate, social conditions, or sanitary standards and practices are different from yours at home, you have an increased risk of developing traveler's diarrhea.

Each year millions of international travelers battle traveler's diarrhea. High-risk destinations for traveler's diarrhea include developing countries in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Traveling to eastern Europe and a few Caribbean islands also poses some risk. However, your risk of traveler's diarrhea is generally low in northern Europe, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

Being careful about what you eat and drink can reduce your risk.

Symptoms