Traveller's diarrhoea

Travellers diarrhoea

Up to 60% of travellers from the West visiting resource-poor countries get traveller's diarrhoea. It usually starts within the first week of arrival.

As many as 5 million people from the UK suffer from travel diarrhoea each year.

Taking an antibiotic on a trip can reduce significantly the severity and duration of traveller's diarrhoea.

Standby treatment

A short course of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin or azithromycin together with the anti-diarrhoeal Loperamide is effective in treating traveller's diarrhoea. An anti-sickness tablet such as Avomine will also relieve symptoms and help to prevent dehydration. These standby treatments work best if taken as soon as diarrhoea starts.

Azithromycin is a slightly more effective antibiotic for the treatment of traveller's diarrhoea in South Asia (Pakistan and India, etc) and South-East Asia (Thailand and Laos, etc). In other parts of the world ciprofloxacin is the preferred antibiotic.

Who benefits

• People taking short trips when a few days illness would ruin the experience
• Business people whose work would be effected by illness
• Travellers spending prolonged periods in remote places

Causes of diarrhoea

Traveller's diarrhoea is usually caused by ordinary bacteria the body is not used to. Other bacteria such as salmonella can also cause traveller's diarrhoea.

Traveller's diarrhoea usually lasts 2 to 4 days during which time people are often bed bound. In a few cases traveller's diarrhoea can lead to serious illness and even long term bowel problems.

Seeking help

People with serious medical conditions and a history of bowel disease should seek medical help if they get severe diarrhoea. If there is blood and mucus in the diarrhoea, or diarrhoea and vomiting continues for more than 2 days, or there is high fever and severe abdominal pain, or a rash, then medical help is required.

• Antibiotic ciprofloxacin and azithromycin
• Anti-diarrhoeal Loperamide
• Anti-sickness Avomine