Diseases and Conditions
Traveler's diarrhea
Overview
Symptoms
Causes
Risk factors
Complications
Prevention
Treatment
Lifestyle and home remedies
Preparing for an appointment
Causes
It's possible that traveler's diarrhea may stem from the stress of traveling or a change in diet. But usually infectious agents — such as bacteria, viruses or parasites — are to blame. You typically develop traveler's diarrhea after ingesting food or water contaminated with organisms from feces.
So why aren't natives of high-risk countries affected in the same way? Often their bodies have become accustomed to the bacteria and have developed immunity to them.