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Traveller's Diarrhoea

Traveller’s diarrhoea is one of the most common health problems for people visiting unfamiliar destinations. 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.

Xifaxan

Rifaximin

200 · 400 · 550mg

Rifaximin 200mg, 400mg and 550mg film-coated tablets, used for hepatic encephalopathy and traveller's diarrhoea. A rifamycin that stays in the gut.

From$0.71/ tabletView

Key points

  • Contaminated food or water carrying bacteria such as E. coli is the usual cause of sudden loose stools and cramping.
  • Common sources include street food, unwashed produce, ice made from untreated water and undercooked seafood.
  • Oral rehydration salts replacing lost fluids and electrolytes are the most important part of managing an episode.
  • Rifaximin acts locally in the gut with little absorption into the bloodstream, suiting it to bacterial cases that need antibiotic treatment.

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. Sanitation varies widely from place to place, which raises the risk for first-time visitors whose digestive systems have no prior exposure to unfamiliar 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. 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.

Further reading