Water and foodborne diseases

A wide range of diseases are transmitted by consuming contaminated food or drink or by contact with contaminated water when bathing.

These include “common” gastrointestinal infections that also occur in Denmark, such as rubella, salmonella infection, campylobacter infection and E. coli infection. But there can also be more exotic diseases such as hepatitis A (infectious hepatitis), cholera, typhoid, paratyphoid, giardiasis and amoebiasis. Many of these infections initially present with diarrhea.

Diarrhea is the most common symptom that up to 50 percent of Danes traveling abroad to subtropical or tropical regions will experience. Diarrhea is characterized by frequent, watery stools, often accompanied by abdominal pain and vomiting. The most common form of diarrhea is fortunately often self-limiting and is called tourist or traveler’s diarrhea.

Mild cases are treated with plenty of fluids (tea with sugar, juice diluted with mineral water), possibly supplemented with a stool softener before traveling by bus or plane.

If you have bloody or severe diarrhea or a high fever, you should see a doctor to determine the cause. If the cause is bacterial, an antibiotic may be effective. (LINK til rejseapotek)

Traveler’s diarrhea can be prevented by the following precautions:

• Choosing boiled, baked or fried dishes that are prepared shortly before eating
• Choosing drinks made from boiled water (tea, coffee), carbonated mineral water in bottles with sealed lids, beer or sour milk products of known brands.
• Eating fruit that you have peeled yourself.
• Avoid tap water, whether directly from the tap or as ice cubes in drinks or food.
• Avoid raw fish, raw shellfish (e.g. oysters and mussels), raw egg yolks, raw vegetables from low-growing plants (e.g. lettuce leaves), salads containing mayonnaise and all kinds of ice cream.
• Avoid swimming near sewage outlets and in swimming pools where the water is not chlorine-treated