Pharaoh's Revenge

[fisherdvm]

You shouldnt just take antibiotics to prevent illness when on vacation. Many antibiotics have diarrhea as side effect.

Besides, the most common way of getting ill from food isnt from the bacteria but from the cytokines. (If bacteria bug you, you will get sick the day after while usually the puking and illness after a few hours comes from the cytokines).

Hope this helps a bit.

Yours,
Rob

You are right, the fine details of the CDC recommendation is buried in the article, but it said as followed:

At this time prophylactic antibiotics should not be recommended for most travelers. In addition to affording no protection against nonbacterial pathogens, they may also give the traveler a false sense of security, leading to neglect of the food and water precautions that might protect against other enteric diseases. In addition, the use of antibiotics may be associated with allergic or adverse reactions in a certain percentage of travelers, an unnecessary occurrence, as early self-treatment with antibiotics for established TD is still quite effective.

Prophylactic antibiotics may be considered for short-term travelers who are high-risk hosts (such as those who are immunosuppressed) or are taking critical trips during which even a short bout of diarrhea could impact the purpose of their trip.

 

[dleffert]

Thanks for all the advice!

Actually, the "vaccination" I was referring to was not the antibiotic variety but more the immunity one gets after exposure to many of life's nasty actors. I was thinking that eventually the locals become accustomed to whatever's in the water, so I was wondering if that happens after one "dose" or multiple.

I'll let you know how it turns out....

 

[-Phoenix-]

Have fun on your vacation!

 

[dleffert]

Well we're back and, for the most part, safe and sound.

Had a little trouble early in the trip but it passed quickly (figuratively and literally!).

For its part, the Hotel Coralia Club in Dahab made it darn near impossible to practice good food safety. The bread table in the open air restaurant was uncovered, and birds were constantly hopping on the bread. Feral cats were constantly jumping up on the leftovers that had been cleared from tables. Sandwiches at the beach/pool restaurant all were the salad type (tuna salad, club sandwich, etc).

And this was at a place that billed itself as 4 Star (2 1/2 would be a generous rating).

Had a good time otherwise.

 

[DandyDon]

Wow?! They must think our standards are extreme. Glad you did ok...

 

[Mr.X]

Well we're back and, for the most part, safe and sound.

Had a little trouble early in the trip but it passed quickly (figuratively and literally!).

For its part, the Hotel Coralia Club in Dahab made it darn near impossible to practice good food safety. The bread table in the open air restaurant was uncovered, and birds were constantly hopping on the bread. Feral cats were constantly jumping up on the leftovers that had been cleared from tables. Sandwiches at the beach/pool restaurant all were the salad type (tuna salad, club sandwich, etc).

And this was at a place that billed itself as 4 Star (2 1/2 would be a generous rating).

Had a good time otherwise.

What you described resembles a lot of what I have seen in developing nations. Glad you were able to avoid major illnesses!

X

p.s. I like the fact that the staff allowed animals to jump onto the food and I bet they washed their silverware in a communal bucket of standing water, or simply wiped them down. Ick.

 

[dleffert]

Well we're back and, for the most part, safe and sound.

Looks like I spoke too soon. We ate our final meal at the resort Friday morning, before beginning the journey home. By Saturday evening, things were starting to bubble, and by Sunday morning I was suffering from full-blown intestinal distress. Today, Thursday, things are just back to normal.

VERY disappointed in this Accor property and their abysmal food handling practices.

Glad to be back among the living.....

 

[Bubbletrubble]

When I travel to developing countries, I bring along cipro, Pepto, and Imodium (loperamide) as recommended by the CDC. To others, I recommend that their vaccinations (particularly hepA, hepB) are kept current. Despite being prepared, I'm always cautious with what I eat and drink. Bottled water is my friend. Use it to brush teeth. Close mouth in shower.

 

[DandyDon]

When I travel to developing countries, I bring along cipro, Pepto, and Imodium (loperamide) as recommended by the CDC. To others, I recommend that their vaccinations (particularly hepA, hepB) are kept current. Despite being prepared, I'm always cautious with what I eat and drink. Bottled water is my friend. Use it to brush teeth. Close mouth in shower.

And be careful of street sales bottle water. Sometime they fill the bottle from wherever and superglue the cap back on. :11:

Hep A & B are for life, aren't they? I don't know when they started requiring them for school kids but I opted for both late in life - still good idea. My usual exposure on Hep B is none, but things happen...

 

[DocVikingo]

The only vaccine that is worthwhile getting is salmonella, as far as prevention of traveler's diarrhea.

I'm not aware of a commercially available salmonella vaccine. Do you have information to the contrary?