Traveling abroad is an adventure that many individuals want to enjoy, and with good reason. Traveling gives people the ability to experience a new world, new cultures, new foods and other enticing and exciting things. Still, there are dangers associated with traveling abroad and one such danger is the risk of disease.

Traveler’s Diarrhea: Avoiding the Wrath of Montezuma’s Revenge

Traveler’s diarrhea can often be caused by many different factors. According to the Centers for Disease Control, or the CDC, traveler’s diarrhea is often the result of the extreme change in the organisms that live in one’s GI tract. Still, there are other microorganisms that can also contribute to diarrhea. Salmonella poisoning is often accompanied by bloody stool. There are a host of other bacteria that can lead to the same health problems.

Mad Cow Disease

Reports of Mad Cow Disease have been all over the mainstream media in recent years. However worried travelers may be the CDC reports that even in the UK, where concerns run high, the risk of contracting this disease is only 1 in 10 billion. The real name for the disease is vCJD. The disease is contracted when one consumes infected beef. While the risks are low, there are still precautions that travelers can take to avoid coming in contact with potentially infected beef. The most obvious measure is to avoid beef and beef products. Milk is believed to be safe.

Food and Drink Risks

One of the biggest concerns for travelers leaving the United States is the safety of the food and drink abroad. The CDC, or Centers for Disease Control, reports that there are all sorts of potential viruses and bacteria that could be present in the food and beverages in other countries. E. Coli, dysentery, Norwalk-like viruses, hepatitis A, salmonella,are just a few of the potential food bugs and viruses that could affect travelers.

Food should not be eaten raw, and should be brought to a temperature high enough to kill bacteria. There are also concerns over fish and shellfish. High levels of biotoxins in fish and seafood can cause diarrhea, nausea, headache, and flushing. Water that has not been chlorinated, boiled or otherwise treated should not be consumed. Even ice in beverages should be avoided.

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