Cruising with Confidence
Shaking hands may be the conventional greeting for
landlubbers, but on the high seas, the "forearm tap" has become popular. This greeting of
knocking elbows together instead of shaking hands was encouraged by a number of
cruise lines to raise awareness of the importance of personal hygiene on board
ship, according to a representative for Carnival Cruise Lines.
Poor personal hygiene is the likely cause of gastrointestinal illness
(gastroenteritis) on cruise ships,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC
investigated 22 reports of gastroenteritis outbreaks aboard 18 cruise ships from
Jan. 1, 2002, through Dec. 31, 2002. Of the 22 outbreaks, three were blamed on
bacteria and seven could not be traced with certainty, but the remaining 12 were
confirmed to be associated with noroviruses--a group of viruses that cause gastroenteritis, also known as
Norwalk-like viruses.
Symptoms of norovirus
infection include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping that can last
from 12 to 60 hours. The symptoms usually begin 24 to 48 hours after a virus is ingested. Although people may feel very ill and
vomit frequently, norovirus infections are not considered serious in most
individuals. But they may become serious in the very young, older people, and in
those with weakened immune systems.
Noroviruses are found in the stool or vomit of infected people, and infection
can spread in several ways:
- Eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with the virus
- Touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then placing your hands in
or near your mouth
- Having direct contact with another person who is infected and showing
symptoms (for example, sharing foods or eating utensils).
Traveler's diarrhea from bacterial
infections can also be the cause of the vacationer's gastrointestinal woes.
Bacterial infections usually go away over time without treatment, but doctors
may prescribe antibiotics to treat some and shorten the duration of the
diarrhea. No medications are approved for preventing bacterial infection, nor
are there medications that prevent or treat noroviruses. For more, please read
the Traveler's Diarrhea
article.
Advice for Travelers
Frequent and thorough hand washing with warm, soapy water
is the best prevention against gastroenteritis and other gastrointestinal
illnesses. Travelers who don't have ready access to soap and water may want to
carry along a hand gel sanitizer, found in most supermarkets and drugstores.
When traveling, choose foods and beverages carefully.
Foods should be thoroughly cooked and served hot. Poor sanitation in some
countries may lead to contaminated food and drink, which are the major sources of stomach
or intestinal illness while traveling, according to the CDC. Just about any food
can become contaminated if handled improperly, but items of particular concern
include raw meat, raw seafood, green salads, and raw sprouts. "In some
countries, it's wise to steer clear of street food vendors, especially if they
serve fresh-cut fruits," says Jackson, who advocates purchasing fruits
whole, peeling them and cutting them up yourself.
Travelers should avoid unpasteurized milk or products made with unpasteurized
milk, unpasteurized juices and ciders. Beverages that may be safer
than tap water in some countries are hot beverages, such as coffee or tea made
with boiled water, canned or bottled carbonated beverages, and beer and wine.
Avoid ice made with tap water. Water on the surface of a beverage can or bottle
may be contaminated, so wipe clean and dry the area of the container that will
touch your mouth. For more, please read the MedicineNet.com Traveler's
Tips for Safe Water and Traveler's
Tips for Safe Eating articles.
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