Traveler's Diarrhea

We have discussed in class this past week the organisms in the GI tract. One disease in particular is very intriguing and important for me that I wanted to share more information  about it with my colleagues, Travelers' diarrhea (TD).
Travelers' diarrhea is the most common illness that affects travelers worldwide. Each year about 10 million travelers develop diarrhea. The onset of TD usually occurs within the first week of travel but may occur at any time while traveling, and even after returning home. High-risk destinations are the developing countries of Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. High-risk populations include young adults, immunosuppressed patients, persons with inflammatory-bowel disease or diabetes, and persons taking H-2 blockers or antacids are at risk at contracting TD. The primary source of infection is ingestion of food or water, contaminated with feces.

Most TD cases begin abruptly. The illness usually results in increased frequency, volume, and weight of stool, along with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, bloating, fever, urgency, and malaise.
The most common isolated organism in countries surveyed has been enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), which secretes heat-labile enterotoxin and heat-stable enterotoxin, that cause its toxigenic effects. As we all know, E. coli is a Gram-negative rod commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms, and is mainly transferred through feces with contamination.  The regular presence of E. coli in the human intestine and feces has led to tracking the bacterium in nature as an indicator of fecal pollution and water contamination.  

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/502559

Studies have shown that the use of bismuth subsalicylate(Pepto Bismol), taken as either 2 tablets 4 times daily or 2 fluid ounces 4 times daily reduces the incidence of travelers' diarrhea.

Reference:
www.cdc.gov
 http://www.textbookofbacteriology.net/e.coli.html
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/etec_g.htm