Student Health Service

Diseases from contaminated food and water cause more illnesses in travelers than any other travel-related diseases. There are several kinds of food- and water-borne diseases, and most of them have symptoms similar to "stomach flu," usually with "Traveler's Diarrhea" but sometimes also with fever and vomiting. They are seldom fatal, but can easily make you a bathroom camper for several days.

Avoiding contaminated food and water is the key. It can take some forethought and a little work, but will be well worth the effort:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water. 
• Drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. 
• Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes.
• If this is not possible, make water safer by BOTH filtering through an “absolute 1-micron or less” filter AND adding iodine tablets to the filtered water. “Absolute 1-micron filters” are found in camping/outdoor supply stores. 
• Eat only thoroughly cooked food or fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself. 
• Don't eat food purchased from street vendors. 
• Don't eat dairy products unless you know they have been pasteurized. 
• Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it. 

For more information, take a look at Safe Food and Water from the US Centers for Disease Control. 

You may get "Traveler's Diarrhea" despite your best efforts. The MSU Student Health Service can give you prescriptions for medications to treat the symptoms. Call us at (406) 994-2311.