Why do some people feel uncomfortable with the local climate when traveling far away? Things to pay attention to during summer travel

With the arrival of summer vacation, many people choose to travel. Are you already making plans and strategies?

The special foods in the streets and alleys during the trip are dazzling and mouth-watering... However, the journey is not all beautiful, be careful of some unwelcome guests that you may encounter unexpectedly. For example, "Diarrhea in Travelers" (DT), often referred to as "acclimatization".

Some people can't help but ask, is this so-called "not adapting to the local environment" really about not adapting to the water or the local environment? Let's take a look~

What is traveler's diarrhea?

If you have 3 or more unformed stools a day during or after your trip, and have symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, or vomiting, then you need to be alert, because you may have traveler's diarrhea!

The pathogens that cause traveler's diarrhea can be divided into two categories: non-invasive and invasive. Its essence belongs to dysbiosis, and nearly 80% of acclimatization is caused by enteropathogenic bacteria, which causes excessive intestinal mucosal exudation and diarrhea.

Why does “acclimatization” occur?

As the saying goes, "local conditions determine local people." There are two main sources of our intestinal flora: one is the bacteria we inherit from our mothers when we are born; the other is foreign bacteria that gradually adapt and settle in the environment formed by the food we eat and the water we drink.

When a person comes to an unfamiliar environment, due to changes in climate, diet, and daily routine, it is easy to have a reduced immunity and an imbalance in the intestinal flora. If at this time he or she comes into contact with food or water contaminated by harmful bacteria, viruses, or parasites, diarrhea is likely to occur.

Generally speaking, more than three times a day of diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, vomiting and other symptoms can be preliminarily diagnosed. As long as you maintain a light diet, it usually lasts for 1 to 5 days and heals without treatment.

However, if you have frequent diarrhea, as well as symptoms of bloating, increased bowel sounds, and cramping due to intestinal spasms, or if you have a fever and feel tired, you should be alert and seek medical help.

Who is susceptible?

People with inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, and those taking H2 blockers or antacids (which reduce stomach acid) are more susceptible to traveler's diarrhea.

The elderly, children, and those with weak gastrointestinal function may also suffer from diarrhea when they first arrive in a foreign country due to acclimatization, climate or diet.

Young people with good teeth and good appetite may also suffer from diarrhea due to their indulgence in delicious food, which leads to the intake of more pathogenic bacteria into the body.

How to prevent it?

The trick to preventing acclimatization is certainly not to "eat dirt", but to make adequate preparations before traveling.

First of all, you should travel in good physical condition. Secondly, you should understand the weather and diet of the destination, bring enough clothes, and pay attention to food. The most important thing is to prevent diseases from entering the body through food:

1. Avoid eating unclean food. Especially when you are eating at local night markets or food stalls, be careful of "visits" from E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, etc. Try not to eat too much raw or cold food.

2. Be careful about drinking water pollution. Contaminated water is an important way for pathogens such as cholera and rotavirus to spread, especially uncooked water and raw water for brushing teeth, which may cause infection. Therefore, it is safer to buy bottled water or boil and disinfect the water yourself before drinking.

3. To avoid indigestion, you should eat only a small amount of local food according to your own situation.

4. Do not wash directly with untreated river, lake or well water, especially in high-risk areas or during the flood season when there is continuous rainfall.

Additionally, children can be vaccinated.

For bacterial diarrhea, oral cholera vaccine (rBS/WC vaccine) is recommended. According to studies, the proportion of bacterial diarrhea in children two years old and above increases rapidly, and spring and summer are the peak seasons for bacterial diarrhea.

The World Health Organization proposed in its "Position Paper" that the use of vaccines is the most effective and economical means of preventing diarrhea. Children over 2 years old and adults who need it can be vaccinated at least two weeks before traveling to effectively prevent the occurrence of traveler's diarrhea.

Finally, if you are infected by accident, don't panic. Traveler's diarrhea is usually self-limiting, and mild cases can heal on their own without special treatment. If the frequency of bowel movements increases, you should first consider taking oral rehydration salts in time to prevent electrolyte imbalance and dehydration. If you have severe dehydration or shock, you should go to the hospital in time for intravenous infusion treatment.

In short, it is recommended that you make travel and vaccination plans before traveling, and you can also carry appropriate medicines (montmorillonite powder, etc.) to prevent any accidents.