Traveller’s Diarrhoea Service

When to book the traveller's diarrhoea service

Come in before you travel for prevention advice and a treatment kit, or if you have returned with symptoms:

• Frequent loose or watery stools
• Stomach cramps or abdominal pain
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fever
• An urgent need to use the toilet

Symptoms usually start within a few days of travel and most cases settle in 3 to 5 days. Seek medical advice if symptoms last longer than two days, you have severe stomach pain or signs of dehydration, or you develop a high fever or blood in your stool.

What is traveller's diarrhoea?

Traveller's diarrhoea is a gastrointestinal infection causing three or more loose or watery stools within 24 hours, often with cramps, nausea or fever. Most cases are bacterial, particularly E. coli, spread through contaminated food, unsafe drinking water or poor hygiene. It most often affects travellers to Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America, where food hygiene and water safety standards differ from the UK.

How to prevent it

• Drink bottled or purified water
• Avoid ice in drinks where water quality is uncertain
• Eat freshly cooked food served hot
• Avoid raw or undercooked food
• Wash hands regularly or use hand sanitiser

How the service works

• Travel consultation - your pharmacist discusses your destination, travel plans and health history
• Prevention advice - guidance on food safety, hydration and infection prevention
• Treatment options - anti-diarrhoeal medicines, rehydration solutions or other treatment where appropriate

Find traveller's diarrhoea advice near you

Professional travel health consultations, expert pharmacist advice before you go, and access to preventative treatment at convenient local branches. Use the postcode search above to find your nearest Allied Pharmacy.