Contaminated Beverages and Water
spread diarrheal disease, typhoid, polio, Hepatitis
A, cholera and other illnesses. Usually “natural” water
is not safe to drink. Untreated water often contains
parasites and amoeba that can cause serious and/or
long-term problems. Immunization is never 100%
effective. Tap
water, even in expensive
hotels, may not be safe. Follow these tips:
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- Fresh fruit juices are often mixed
with untreated tap water – avoid them.
- Avoid water from pitchers/carafes in hotel rooms.
- Do not brush teeth with untreated water.
- Tap water, if hot enough to be uncomfortable
on the hand, is safe (after cooling) for oral hygiene,
diluting drinks, or washing eating utensils.
- Avoid ice cubes.
- Do not let children swallow shower or bath water.
- People do not become immune to the water if they
drink it long enough.
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| Carbonated
soft drinks and mineral water, hot tea and coffee made with boiling water
are considered safe to drink (the caffeine is better
than the risk of an infectious agent). Be sure bottled
drinks are opened in front of you.
Swimming, wading, even touching water in some,
lakes, puddles, and ponds is unwise.
If local water is not safe and bottled water is
not available, there are two alternatives:
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- Boil the water, a rolling boil, for
at least 10 minutes.
- Use a chemical treatment such as water purification
tablets. Place five drops of 2% or 2.5% Tincture
of Iodine in one liter of water and let it stand
for 30 minutes; use 10 drops per liter if water
is cold or cloudy. Mix with a powdered juice mix,
a squeeze of citrus fruit, or a pinch of salt to
make the taste acceptable. Iodine tablets are also
available. You can also use Clorox bleach, one
capful of bleach per 2 gallons of water.
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Food
can cause as many problems as water! The safest rule
is to: |
“Peel
it, Cook It, or Forget it!” |
- Avoid all raw food.
- Avoid dishes made with mayonnaise, dressings,
custards, and cream fillings.
- Raw salad vegetables need to be cleaned with
soap and water, or soaked for 30 minutes in a litre
of water with 15 drops Tincture of Iodine, and
then rinsed in cooled boiled water.
- Use fresh fruits only when you can peel them
yourself.
- Keep food well covered, and refrigerated. Avoid
reheated left-over food.
- Use only pasteurized dairy products or powdered
milk (made with purified water). Pasteurize milk
by bringing it to the boil and then immediately
removing it from the heat. Canned evaporated or
condensed milk is safe and available in most places.
Add cooled boiled water to dilute. In some countries, “pasteurized” is
no guarantee that the proper heating process was
used. Ice cream and other milk/cream products are
foods to avoid altogether in most tropical countries.
- Hot (meaning spicy) cuisine does not decrease
contamination levels or protect against pathogens.
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Diarrhea
is the most frequent health problem for travelers
to developing countries. Impure water, poor sanitation,
and unhygienic handling of food - all contribute
to the risk of getting diarrhea. If diarrhea develops, |
- Stop eating solid foods
- Drink broths, soups, fruit juice and soft drinks,
3+ liters a day
- Drink a large glass of fluid after every watery
bowel movement and when thirsty
- Replace water, salt, sugar and potassium lost
with diarrhea
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