Diarrhoea and vomiting on holiday
Usually over in 2–3 days. What matters most: enough fluid and salts.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Mohamed Atef, Consultant Gynaecologist · October 2026
Help yourself or call a doctor?
What helps
- Small sips often, bottled water only
- Oral rehydration salts from a pharmacy
- Rusks, rice, banana, salted crackers
- No alcohol, little fat, no ice cubes
Call a doctor for
- Blood in the stool or black stool
- Fever above 39 °C, severe abdominal pain
- Vomiting for over 12 hours (children sooner)
- Hardly any urine, dizziness, confusion
- Diarrhoea for more than 3 days
Loperamide only for adults, without fever and without blood in the stool. Not for children without medical advice. No antibiotics on your own.
See a doctor sooner: babies, small children, pregnant women, older people, the chronically ill.
Prevention
After your trip: bloody diarrhoea, especially in children? See a doctor promptly and say you were in Egypt. The Robert Koch Institute reported EHEC cases after trips to Egypt in 2023.
Frequently asked questions
When does an IV drip help?
If you vomit everything or are already dehydrated. The doctor decides after the examination. IV at your hotel
What do examination plus drip cost?
With the usual 500 ml drip €159–179, all included. With 100 ml €99.
Sources: ADAC (May 2026: “Sick in Egypt”), Robert Koch Institute, Epidemiologisches Bulletin 28/2023 (German)
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