Traveller’s Diarrhoea
Traveller’s diarrhoea is one of the most common health problems for people visiting South and Southeast Asia, including India, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. It typically starts within the first week of arrival and causes sudden loose or watery stools, abdominal cramps, nausea, and sometimes a low-grade fever. Most episodes resolve within a few days with adequate rest and fluid replacement.
Medicine used to treat Traveller's Diarrhoea
What triggers it
The condition is almost always caused by bacteria picked up through contaminated food or water. Enterotoxigenic E. coli is the most frequent culprit, though Campylobacter, Shigella, and Salmonella also feature heavily in tropical climates. Street food, raw salads, unpeeled fruit, ice made from tap water, and undercooked seafood are common sources. In regions like South Asia and rural Southeast Asia, sanitation varies widely, which raises the risk for first-time visitors whose digestive systems have no prior exposure to local bacterial strains.
Managing an episode
Staying hydrated is the most important step. Oral rehydration salts replace the fluids and electrolytes lost through frequent stools and are widely available across Asia. For more severe or prolonged episodes, antibiotic treatment can shorten the illness significantly. Rifaximin is a targeted gut antibiotic that works locally in the intestine and is absorbed minimally into the bloodstream, making it well suited to bacterial traveller’s diarrhoea.
Seek prompt medical attention if you notice blood or mucus in the stool, a high fever, signs of dehydration (dizziness, dark urine, rapid pulse), or if symptoms last beyond 72 hours without improvement.