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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffYou can help prevent the spread of viral diarrhea by washing your hands and encouraging your children to wash their hands. Because viral diarrhea spreads easily, it's a good idea to keep your children home from school or child care if they have diarrhea.
To guard against diarrhea caused by contaminated food:
- Use dairy products that have been pasteurized. Pasteurization involves heating dairy products for a period of time to kill bacteria.
- Serve food right away or refrigerate it after it has been cooked or reheated. Leaving food out at room temperature can encourage growth of bacteria.
Diarrhea commonly affects people who travel to developing countries, where it is sometimes due to inadequate sanitation and contaminated food and water. To reduce your risk:
- Watch what you eat. Eat hot, well-cooked foods. Avoid raw fruits and vegetables unless you can peel them yourself. Also avoid raw or undercooked meats and dairy foods.
- Watch what you drink. Drink bottled water, soda, beer or wine served in its original container. Avoid tap water and ice cubes. Use bottled water even for brushing your teeth. Keep your mouth closed while you shower. Beverages from boiled water, such as coffee and tea, are probably safe. Remember that alcohol and caffeine can aggravate diarrhea and dehydration.
- Ask your doctor about using antibiotics or bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) to prevent diarrhea if you're traveling to a developing country. Either type of medication, but particularly antibiotics, can significantly reduce the odds that you'll develop traveler's diarrhea.
