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Travelers face stomach upset as CDC recommends key items to pack on your trips
Fox News • • health
Key Points:
- Gastrointestinal illnesses, often caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites, are common travel-related ailments, with travelers' diarrhea affecting 30% to 70% of travelers during two-week trips depending on destination and season.
- The CDC recommends packing oral rehydration salts, over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medication, bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol), and hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol to manage symptoms and prevent dehydration.
- Staying hydrated is crucial if illness occurs, and most people recover within one to three days, though severe dehydration may require medical attention.
- To reduce risk, travelers should make smart food choices, such as thoroughly cooking high-risk vegetables and choosing fruits and vegetables with thick skins that can be washed and peeled.
- Medical care should be sought if diarrhea persists, worsens, or is accompanied by fever, bloody stools, or signs of dehydration.
