Epidemiology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Epidemiology, including details on twin studies, statistics, environmental and genetic factors.

Epidemiology of traveler's diarrhea.

Steffen R

Division of Communicable Diseases and Travel Clinic, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine of the University, World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Travelers' Health, Zurich, Switzerland. travclin@ifspm.unizh.ch

Among travelers from developed countries who visit developing countries, >60% may experience traveler's diarrhea, accounting for 40,000 travelers daily or >15 million travelers annually. Traveler's diarrhea is often accompanied by other symptoms, most often abdominal cramps. Although the spontaneous cure occurs after a mean of 4 days, a few patients have symptoms for weeks, and it is increasingly noted that some patients may later develop irritable bowel syndrome. Traveler's diarrhea is life threatening only exceptionally, but it frequently it leads to incapacitation. Both host factors (e.g., age, behavior, nationality, and genetic factors) and environmental factors (primarily the selected destination and hotel) play an important role in risk for traveler's diarrhea.

Published 3 November 2005 in Clin Infect Dis, 41: S536-40.
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