If you eat or drink contaminated food or water, there’s a good chance you’ll get gastroenteritis - and, with it, diarrhoea. Gastroenteritis is when the stomach and intestines become inflamed, usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection.
When at home. If you get gastroenteritis in this country, you might put it down to food poisoning.
When abroad. If you get gastroenteritis when abroad, you might think of it as travellers’ diarrhoea.
Diarrhoea is the most common health condition suffered by tourists overseas. You’re more likely to get it if you’re visiting somewhere hot or with poor sanitation.
Besides ingesting contaminated food or water, your diarrhoea abroad might be caused by exposure to new types of bacteria or simply by eating unfamiliar rich or spicy foods.
How to avoid food poisoning
There are certain things you can do, and avoid doing, to reduce your chances of getting food poisoning.
For example, always be careful that food is cooked properly and wash your hands before eating. If you’re abroad, avoid drinking tap water or eating food from street vendors.
Read on for more ways to avoid food poisoning abroad
How to treat diarrhoea
It’s important to stay hydrated with infectious diarrhoea. You can use oral rehydration therapy to help prevent dehydration. If you have severe diarrhoea, blood in your stools or a high temperature, or if symptoms persist for more than 48 hours consult your doctor.
Something in the water?
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