What different types of organisms are responsible and what are the symptoms?
In around 40 per cent of cases, travellers’ diarrhoea is caused by a bacterium known as Escherichia coli (E. coli ). This causes symptoms which last for less than 48 hours. There are many other causes of diarrhoea, which tend to occur in less developed countries. Shigella is another bacterium, which is identified as the cause in around 15 per cent of diarrhoeal illnesses. Initially, the infection causes profuse, watery diarrhoea and a high temperature. The symptoms then develop into loose, frequent stools containing blood and mucus that can last for up to a month. The illness can be very unpleasant, particularly for children, and requires treatment with antibiotics. Salmonella is also a bacterium, and is responsible for about 10 per cent of all cases of diarrhoea. The symptoms usually last about a week and are limited to mild to moderate diarrhoea containing mucus but rarely any blood. Typhoid is similar to salmonella infection and is a serious illness which can be fatal if not treated
