While not exactly everyone's favorite topic, Traveler's Diarrhea is the most common infection to ruin a trip, and is worth our attention. After all, over 30 million Americans travel abroad annually, with at least 4-5 million visiting developing regions. It has been estimated that more than a fourth of travelers suffer from diarrhea during their journey, and as more people travel year after year, more people will suffer from The Runs . There are many causes of diarrhea and it is important to recognize which ones are serious and which are not.
Most diarrhea is spread through the water supply in areas where hygiene and sanitation are lacking.
It is spread by microbes such as salmonella and shigella, viruses, and Vibrio cholera, just a few among many. Most Traveler's Diarrhea is caused by enteric bacteria, such as E. coli, Campylobacter, B. cereus, and others. The majority of these infections are self-limited, meaning that the body is able to handle them and recover after a few days. Occasionally the diarrhea can be from protozoa or worm infections. Other protozoa that cause intestinal infections include the amoeba Entamoeba histolytica, cryptosporidium and cyclospora.