What is gastroenteritis?
Gastroenteritis or traveller’s diarrhoea is an infection of the intestine most commonly involving bacteria. Causes include enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella and Campylobacter. It can also be due to viruses such as norovirus and parasites like Giardia. Gastroenteritis is the single most common infection afflicting travellers from Australia.
FAQs
In which countries is traveller's diarrhoea most common?
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Gastroenteritis occurs more frequently in places where water and sanitation infrastructure are less well established or maintained than in Australia. Developing nations in Africa, the Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East are all high-risk areas.
What should I drink when I have gastroenteritis?
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Oral rehydration solution will help your body replace the lost fluid and salts. Isotonic sports drinks and clear soups are also fine. These can be supplemented with safe drinking water. Avoid dairy products, alcohol and caffeine. If you are unable to drink enough to replace the same volume of fluid as you are losing, then you should seek medical attention.
What should I eat when I have traveller's diarrhoea?
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While you may not feel up to it, you should try to continue to eat small amounts of plain foods. Snack-sized portions throughout the day rather than three larger meals are often more manageable.
What to Know
Gastroenteritis symptoms
In cases of bacterial infection, symptoms typically begin within 24 to 72 hours of ingesting the infectious agent. These include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.
Gastroenteritis diagnosis and treatment
While the diagnosis can often be adequately made on the basis of symptoms alone, laboratory tests, can be performed on stool specimens to determine the exact microbial cause. These include PCR testing, growth of bacteria using specialised culture techniques, and microscopic examination for parasites.
The most important aspect of treatment is maintenance of adequate hydration. This can be achieved with oral rehydration solution (ORS) which contains a precise balance of fluid and electrolytes. Antibiotics are usually reserved for severe or pronged infection or when someone is at risk of complications due to age or underlying health problems. Diarrhoea can be minimised with loperamide and other anti-diarrhoeal tablets and symptoms of nausea and vomiting can be treated with prescription medications like metoclopramide.
In many cases, it is not necessary to see a doctor for gastroenteritis. The illness usually resolves in around three days. Medical attention is required, however, when symptoms are not typical, when they are prolonged or severe, or at any time when it is not possible to replace fluids faster than they are being lost. Very young children, the elderly and those with underlying health problems should also be seen by a doctor.
Gastroenteritis prevention
Prevention revolves around good hand hygiene before eating and making wise choices around food and drinks.
Bottled, boiled or filtered water is safest. Consider ordering drinks without ice, unless you have checked it is made from safe drinking water.
Avoid undercooked meat and seafood. Raw fruit and vegetables can also high risk, unless you are able to peel them immediately before eating. Get local recommendations for restaurants and be cautious of places which are unlikely to have running water. The risk posed by street food can be reduced by choosing options you have seen cooked in front of you where plates and cutlery are clean and dry.
Thorough hand-washing before eating is vital. It's a good idea to carry anti-bacterial hand rub for situations when hand-washing facilities are not readily available.
Standby antibiotics such as azithromycin can be prescribed prior to travel for those going to high-risk destinations. These are carried in reserve, just in case severe or prolonged traveller's diarrhoea develops.