Travellers' Diarrhoea

Fluids come first — keep drinking, and use Dioralyte rehydration sachets to replace the salts and water you're losing, especially in hot climates. Loperamide (Imodium) can calm symptoms when you have to travel or be away from a toilet. Eat plain food when you feel able to. Most cases clear up without antibiotics.

For most holidays, no — sensible food and water precautions plus rehydration cover it. For remote or higher-risk trips where medical help would be hard to reach, azithromycin is a prescription stand-by option our pharmacist can discuss and supply after a travel consultation, so you carry it just in case.

Be careful with what you eat and drink where hygiene is uncertain: stick to bottled or boiled water (including for brushing your teeth), avoid ice, salads and food that's been kept warm, and choose freshly cooked, piping-hot dishes. Washing your hands or using sanitiser before eating is one of the most effective precautions of all.

Seek medical advice — locally if you're still abroad — if there's blood in your stools, you have a high fever or severe tummy pain, you can't keep fluids down, or the diarrhoea lasts more than a few days. Babies, young children, older people and anyone showing signs of dehydration should be seen sooner rather than later.