Traveler's diarrhea risk factors

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Yazan Daaboul, M.D.

The most potent risk factor in the development of traveler’s diarrhea is history of recent travel to a developing country in the past month (required for the diagnosis of traveler’s diarrhea). Other risk factors include immunocompromised status, pregnancy, recent ingestion of uncooked or poorly handled vegetables, meat (e.g. hamburgers), poultry, raw milk, or poorly stored foods that require refrigeration (e.g. mayonnaise), drinking from untreated water, exposure to infected individuals, daycare, and healthcare settings, origin of traveler being a developed country, concomitant administration of H2-receptor antagonists, and recent sexual history of receptive anal or oral-anal contact.

The most potent risk factor in the development of traveler’s diarrhea is history of recent travel to a developing country in the past month (recent travel is required for diagnosis of traveler’s diarrhea).

Other risk factors include the following:

• Immunocompromised status
• Pregnancy
• Recent ingestion of uncooked or poorly handled vegetables, meat / poultry, raw milk, or poorly stored foods that require refrigeration (e.g. mayonnaise)
• Recent drinking from untreated water (e.g. stream or well)
• Exposure to daycare
• Exposure to healthcare settings (e.g. nursing homes or hospitals)
• Exposure to contacts with similar symptoms
• Origin of traveler is a developed country (i.e. individuals traveling from developing countries are at lower risk)
• Concomitant administration of H2 receptor antagonist
• Recent sexual history of receptive anal or oral-anal contact

Template:WikiDoc Sources