Generally speaking, an otherwise healthy adult can easily withstand one or two days of diarrhoea. However, as children run the risk of dehydration, a doctor should be consulted by the second day of diarrhoea at the latest.

As far as travellers’ diarrhoea is concerned, the golden rule for staving off gastrointestinal infections abroad is “Boil it, cook it, peel it – or forget it!” Salads, mayonnaise, ice cream and even ice cubes in drinks should be avoided wherever possible. Even at home, fresh produce should not be kept for too long. Foods containing raw eggs – e.g. mayonnaise, tiramisu and mousse au chocolat – go off very quickly, particularly if not refrigerated.