Traveling to exotic areas with poor hygienic conditions is a risk factor when it comes to contracting certain infections that affect the digestive tract. Specifically, up to 60% of tourists suffer from diarrhea of greater or lesser intensity.
The so-called traveler’s diarrhea is related to the consumption of food and beverages contaminated with pathogens that, although their danger is not serious, do negatively affect digestive health and alter the intestinal flora.
Traveler’s diarrhea can be caused by viruses, parasites, and bacteria, the latter being the most common cause. Some of these bacteria are Escherichia coli, Campylobacter jejuni, and Cyclospora cayetanensis.
These bacteria live in the feces and intestines of humans and other warm-blooded animals. When food and water hygiene conditions are not optimal, consumer products can become contaminated with these bacteria. Although most of these will not cause us a serious condition, it is possible that they cause diarrheal stools, vomiting, abdominal pain and even fever.
To prevent the intestinal flora from being altered by the presence of these bacteria, there is a natural component that we can resort to: xyloglucan, a molecule extracted from the tropical tamarind tree that forms a mucoprotective bio-barrier in the intestine. This is the basis on which Xilaplus, from Ferrer laboratories, has been developed, which controls and reduces symptoms related to diarrheal episodes.
In this way, we will prevent the digestive system, which itself has its own bacterial flora, from seeing its natural function altered.
Precautionary measures
Although we have effective components to treat traveler’s diarrhea, it is best to try not to contract it by following some basic prevention measures: eat in reliable restaurants, avoid street food and drinks, consume only cooked food that is still hot, fruits that peelable and non-ice beverages served in sealed bottles, as well as avoiding raw vegetables.
On the other hand, the travel destination is the biggest risk factor related to this infection. The Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, South and Central America, and the underdeveloped countries of the African continent, followed by South and East Europe, Russia, China, Israel, the Caribbean and South Africa, are the places with a higher risk of contracting some of the agents that cause these characteristic intestinal disorders.
