Travelers' Diarrhea
Medical Author: John P. Cunha, DO
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
What is travelers' diarrhea?
Travelers from temperate regions of the world frequently experience diarrhea four days to two weeks after arriving in certain areas of the world. This illness is called travelers' diarrhea. Other colorful and humorous terms used to describe this illness include "Montezuma's Revenge," the "Aztec Two Step," and "Turista" in Mexico, the "Delhi Belly" in India, and the "Hong Kong Dog" in the Far East.
How common is travelers' diarrhea?
Twenty percent to 50% of travelers may develop
diarrhea depending on the region of the world they visit. Diarrhea is the most common illness of travelers. In general, travelers at risk for diarrhea commonly come from industrialized nations and travel to high-risk areas that are primarily within developing or less industrialized nations of the world, including Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Areas of lesser risk include China and some Caribbean nations. Travel to areas of the United States, Canada, Northern Europe, and Australia pose the lowest risk to travelers.
Men and women are at equal risk for developing travelers' diarrhea. Younger individuals are more commonly afflicted, perhaps because of more adventurous eating habits. People with disorders that compromise their immune system (such as
HIV, cancer, chemotherapy, steroid use),
diabetics and people with underlying abdominal disorders (irritable bowel syndrome,
colitis) are more susceptible to travelers' diarrhea. Interestingly, people on acid blockers for their stomachs
[like famotidine (Pepcid),
cimetidine (Tagamet),
omeprazole (Prilosec),
esomeprazole (Nexium)] also have a higher susceptibility to travelers' diarrhea because they have less stomach acid to protect them from the bacteria that cause
the condition.
Next: What causes travelers' diarrhea? »
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Travelers' Diarrhea
Diarrhea »
What is diarrhea?
Diarrhea
is an increase in the frequency of bowel movements or a decrease in the form
of stool (greater looseness of stool). Although changes in frequency of
bowel movements and looseness of stools can vary independently of each other,
changes often occur in both.
Diarrhea needs to be distinguished from four other conditions. Although these conditions may accompany
diarrhea, they often have different causes and different treatments than
diarrhea. These other conditions are:
- incontinence of stool, which is the inability to
control (delay) bowel movements until an appropriate time, for example, until one can
get to the toilet
- rectal urgency, which is a sudden urge to have a
bowel movement that is so strong that if a toilet is not immediately available
there will be incontinence
- incomplete evacuation, which is a sensati...
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