Roman Tuma, M.D.
UPMC Infectious Disease

Summer is one of the busiest times of year for travel. Whether heading to the beach, visiting family, camping, taking a cruise, or traveling internationally, a little planning can help prevent common illnesses that can quickly derail a trip. While many travel-related illnesses are mild, some can lead to dehydration or the need for medical care, especially for young children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with weakened immune systems.

Plan Ahead Before You Go

For international travel, health preparation should begin several weeks before departure. Some vaccines or preventive medications need time to work, and recommendations can vary by destination, activities, medical history, and length of stay. Pre-travel consultations are available and tailored to a traveler’s health status and destination, including guidance on immunizations, medications, safety precautions, and what to do if illness develops during or after travel.

Even for domestic trips, make sure routine vaccines are up to date, pack enough prescription medication for the full trip, and bring basics such as hand sanitizer, sunscreen, insect repellent, fever reducers, and oral rehydration solution or electrolyte packets.

Food and Water Safety Matter

Traveler’s diarrhea is one of the most common travel-related illnesses. Risk is higher in areas where access to safe drinking water and sanitation may be limited. Choose foods that are cooked and served hot, avoid food that has been sitting out, drink beverages from factory-sealed containers when water safety is uncertain, avoid ice if it may have been made with unsafe water, and wash hands often with soap and water.

Fresh produce can carry germs if contaminated water was used during growing, harvesting, processing, or preparation. When traveling, raw fruits and vegetables are safest when washed with clean water and peeled by the person eating them. If there is any doubt about water quality, cooked foods are usually the safer choice.

Hydration is also important. Anyone who develops diarrhea while traveling should drink plenty of fluids. Oral rehydration solutions can help replace fluids and electrolytes.

What to Know About Cyclospora

One current summer health topic is cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite called Cyclospora. Cases often increase in the spring and summer, and public health officials have been monitoring reported cases in multiple states, including Pennsylvania. Cyclospora spreads when a person eats food or drinks water contaminated with the parasite.

Symptoms typically begin about a week after exposure and may include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, bloating, gas, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea, and, less commonly, low-grade fever or vomiting. Symptoms can last for days to weeks if untreated and may come and go. Health care providers may need to order specific stool testing to detect Cyclospora.

People should contact a health care provider if diarrhea is severe, lasts more than a couple of days, follows recent travel, or is accompanied by signs of dehydration, fever, bloody stools, persistent vomiting, or significant weakness. Young children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with weakened immune systems should seek guidance sooner.

Returning Home Sick

Travel-related illnesses do not always appear while someone is still away. Some infections take days or weeks to develop. Anyone who becomes sick after travel should tell their health care provider where they traveled, when they returned, what they ate or drank, and whether anyone else became ill. These details can help guide testing and treatment.

Roman Tuma, M.D., is with UPMC Infectious Disease in North Central Pa. and sees patients at UPMC Williamsport, 700 High St., Williamsport. For more information, visit UPMC.com/NorthCentralPa.