Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get Started
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffTraveler's diarrhea usually begins abruptly while traveling or shortly after you return home. Most cases improve within one to two days without treatment and clear up completely within a week. However, you can have multiple episodes of traveler's diarrhea during one trip.
The most common signs and symptoms of traveler's diarrhea are:
- Increased frequency, volume and weight of stool
- Frequent loose stools — usually about four to five loose or watery bowel movements each day
- Abdominal cramps
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Bloating
A small number of cases involve moderate to severe dehydration, bloody stools, persistent vomiting or a high fever. If you or your child experiences any of these signs or symptoms or if the diarrhea lasts longer than a few days, it's time to see a doctor.
When to see a doctor
Traveler's diarrhea usually goes away on its own within several days. Signs and symptoms may last longer and be more severe if the condition is caused by organisms other than common bacteria. In such cases, you may need prescription medications to help you overcome this ailment.
If you have severe dehydration, persistent vomiting, bloody stools or a high fever, or if your symptoms last for more than a few days, seek medical help. The local U.S. Embassy or Consulate may help you find a well regarded, English-speaking medical professional.
Be especially cautious with children, because traveler's diarrhea can cause severe dehydration in a short time. Call a doctor if your child is sick and exhibits any of the following signs or symptoms:
- Persistent vomiting
- Bloody stools or severe diarrhea
- A fever of 102 F (38.9 C) or more
- Dry mouth or crying without tears
- Signs of being unusually sleepy, drowsy or unresponsive
- Decreased volume of urine, including fewer wet diapers in infants
- Traveler's diarrhea. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/travelersdiarrhea_g.htm. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Wanke CA. Traveler's diarrhea. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Traveler's diarrhea (turista). The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec02/ch016/ch016b.html. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Snider CB, et al. Travel medicine. In: Rakel RE, et al. Conn's Current Therapy 2008. 60th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/133386890-10/833243685/1621/89.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4435-2..50046-7_615. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Burakoff R, et al. Gastrointestinal disease. In: Noble J, et al. Noble: Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2001. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/133386890-12/0/959/648.html?tocnode=51449457&fromURL=648.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-00828-3..X5001-8--section10_3188. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Traveler's health: Prevention of specific infectious diseases. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh4-Diarrhea.aspx. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- First steps for managing an acute outbreak of diarrhoea. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/topics/cholera/publications/en/first_steps.pdf. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Norovirus: Q&A. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-qa.htm. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Sur DK, et al. Evaluating fever of unidentifiable source in young children. American Family Physician. 2007;75:1805.
