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. 2015 Feb;15(1):93-5.
doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine.15-1-93.

Gastrointestinal symptoms in travellers

Alastair C McGregor  1 , Stephen G Wright  2
Affiliations

Gastrointestinal symptoms in travellers

Alastair C McGregor et al. Clin Med (Lond). 2015 Feb.

Abstract

Diarrhoea is probably the single most common medical complaint in returning travellers. The most common pathogens are entero-toxigenic Escherichia coli, Shigella, Salmonella and Campylobacter. Viruses, toxigenic Arcobacter and Bacteroides fragilis, as well as parasites such as Cryptosporidium sp, are increasingly recognised but are not tested for in most diagnostic laboratories. Blood in stools is a sign of invasive disease and should trigger exclusion of invasive amoebic disease. The use of empiric antibiotics may shorten illness but is complicated by the diversity of bacterial causes and emerging resistance.

Keywords: Diarrhoea; gastroenteritis; imported; travel; travellers.

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