The majority of victims experience diarrhea that lasts three to four days, with five or more loose stools a day, abdominal cramps, nausea, fever, and vomiting. Beer and wine are also fine. Everyone should be wary of ice cubes when the source is unknown. If illness persists and dehydration is a problem, the traveler should seek medical care. It is also wise to seek information about medical coverage before traveling and to ask your physician to recommend medications for diarrheal illness before traveling.
Many hospitals have travel clinics that can give advice.
The first step in nursing care for people with foodborne illnesses should always be assessment and observation of the symptoms and complaints. It is important to know what medications patients are taking and their medical history. The food and travel history are important because they may provide clues to the treatment of the illness. It is important to check the vital signs of patients and to monitor diarrhea, noting stool color and odor, and presence of blood or mucus. Intake and output need to be measured.