A study of the etiology of acclimatization diarrhea among Americans in Egypt.

Abstract

Diarrheal diseases are common in areas of unsatisfactory sanitation and are frequently experienced by travelers and newly arrived residents in those localities. While acute bacillary dysentery is encountered, the majority of these attacks are of a milder type characterized by diarrhea without much constitutional disturbance. The temperature is slightly elevated, nausea and vomiting are occasionally present, stools are frequent and liquid in consistency but rarely contain blood and mucous. Improvement generally occurs within forty-eight to ninety-six hours. The episodes usually are considered by the lay public to be due to unaccustomed food, water or climate and are spoken of as “acclimatization diarrhea”, or are given names such as “Simla trots”, “Hongkong dog” and “Delhi belly”, varying with the locality in which they occur.