Montezuma’s revenge is one of the most common travel illnesses, in which the digestion gets properly messed up. The diarrhea, which catches one in three long-distance travelers, is usually caused by the pathogens Escherichia coli or Campylobacter. The rule: “Cook it, boil it, peel it or forget it” helps to protect against the unpleasant diarrhea. If you get it anyway, you should fall back on your first-aid kit and be sure to drink plenty of fluids to counteract the loss of fluids. In the case of prolonged diarrhea, a bacterial and viral infection should be considered and a doctor should be consulted.
Causes of traveler’s diarrhea
Unaccustomed spicy or greasy food is often enough to trigger traveler’s diarrhea. Likewise, the stress of travel or the change of climate in the destination country can affect the stomach. In addition, traveler’s diarrhea can be triggered by pathogens such as the intestinal bacteria Escherichia coli, Salmonella or Campylobacter germs. The bacteria can be transmitted via water, food or even animals if hygiene conditions are poor. Other causes of diarrhea are viruses (norovirus). The viruses are excreted in the stool or vomit and transmitted fecal-orally directly from person to person or, again, through contaminated food and water. In rare cases, parasites such as worms or amoebae (Entamoeba histolytica) cause traveler’s diarrhea. In this case, infection with the parasites proceeds via the same route as bacterial infection.
Montezuma’s revenge: typical symptoms.
With traveler’s diarrhea, the first symptoms appear several hours to several days after the first contact with the pathogens. Typically, affected individuals have watery and unformed stools three times a day or more. In addition, other symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea and flatulence may occur. In this case, the symptoms due to travel stress or unfamiliar food and conditional diarrhea are usually milder than in infectious traveler’s diarrhea due to illness.
How can traveler’s diarrhea be treated?
In diarrheal diseases, the body loses a lot of fluid. To rebalance the water balance as well as the electrolyte balance, the body should be given plenty of tea, diluted juices, vegetable broth or soups. Fatty foods, on the other hand, should be avoided during the period of illness. Light foods such as rusks, salty cookies or grated apples, on the other hand, are a good choice. In addition, taking healing clay also soothes the intestines, as harmful bacteria are bound and eliminated. The home remedy cola with salt sticks, however, is not suitable as a remedy for traveler’s diarrhea. The caffeine in the cola stimulates the intestinal activity further and can thus lead to a worsening of the symptoms. In addition, the sugar it contains causes further fluid loss in the intestines.
Medication for the first-aid kit
What should not be missing in any first-aid kit against travel diarrhea are drugs with the active ingredient loperamide. The active ingredient acts as an opium derivative specifically on the intestinal activity and reduces it, so that the intestine is immobilized for some time. However, this makes it easier for the pathogens to multiply in the intestine. Therefore, prolonged use of this agent is strongly discouraged. Important minerals and salts that are lost due to fluid loss during traveler’s diarrhea can be replaced with the help of electrolyte preparations. The electrolyte preparations are available in pharmacies either in the form of powder or as a rehydration solution. In this case, the powder preparation is dissolved in water or tea and taken in liquid form. Yeast tablets are also helpful for traveler’s diarrhea. They contain fungi (saccharomycetes), which prevent the spread of bacteria in the intestine and restore the natural intestinal flora.
Traveler’s diarrhea: when to see a doctor?
Most forms of traveler’s diarrhea are harmless and last only a few days. With longer duration and additional complaints such as abdominal pain, vomiting, fever or blood in the stool, a serious infection or even food poisoning is often to be expected. In such cases, a doctor should be consulted urgently for treatment. Severe forms of intestinal infections are caused by toxins that attack the intestinal wall. Bacteria are then often the trigger and treatment with antibiotics is necessary.In general, a doctor should always be consulted for treatment in severe cases. To prevent further spread of the inflammation, intestinal infections are usually treated with antibiotics. Likewise, you should seek medical advice in case of dry mucous membranes and great exhaustion. Indeed, these symptoms may indicate dehydration. If necessary, the doctor can treat them with an infusion.
Prevent Montezuma’s revenge
Because the most common cause of traveler’s diarrhea is bacteria, the motto “cook it, boil it, peel it or forget it” should be used as a preventive measure against Montezuma’s Revenge when traveling to exotic countries. During the travel period, tap water, ice cubes, open drinks and ready-made salads should therefore be avoided. Eggs and chicken meat should also be eaten with great caution, as they may be contaminated with salmonella. Especially when traveling to warm regions such as some areas of Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America, boiling water before ingestion is advisable, as is using bottled water for oral hygiene. Food should always be hot and cooked, as lukewarm food is a suitable environment for bacteria. Care should also be taken to peel fruits and vegetables before eating.
