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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffEach 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.
Your chances of getting traveler's diarrhea are mostly determined by your destination. But certain groups of people have a greater risk of developing the condition. These include:
- Young adults. The condition is slightly more common in young adult tourists. Though the reasons why aren't clear, it's possible that young adults lack acquired immunity, are more adventurous in their travels or are less vigilant in avoiding contaminated foods.
- People with weakened immune systems. A weakened immune system increases vulnerability to infections.
- People with diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease. These conditions can leave you more prone to infection.
- People who take acid blockers or antacids. Acid in the stomach tends to destroy organisms, so a reduction in stomach acid may leave more opportunity for bacterial survival.
- People who travel during certain seasons. The risk of traveler's diarrhea varies by season in certain parts of the world. For example, risk is highest in South Asia during the hot months preceding monsoon season.
- Traveler's diarrhea. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/travelersdiarrhea_g.htm. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Wanke CA. Traveler's diarrhea. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Traveler's diarrhea (turista). The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec02/ch016/ch016b.html. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Snider CB, et al. Travel medicine. In: Rakel RE, et al. Conn's Current Therapy 2008. 60th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/133386890-10/833243685/1621/89.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4435-2..50046-7_615. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Burakoff R, et al. Gastrointestinal disease. In: Noble J, et al. Noble: Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2001. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/133386890-12/0/959/648.html?tocnode=51449457&fromURL=648.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-00828-3..X5001-8--section10_3188. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Traveler's health: Prevention of specific infectious diseases. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh4-Diarrhea.aspx. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- First steps for managing an acute outbreak of diarrhoea. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/topics/cholera/publications/en/first_steps.pdf. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Norovirus: Q&A. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-qa.htm. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Sur DK, et al. Evaluating fever of unidentifiable source in young children. American Family Physician. 2007;75:1805.
