Beware of the Contaminated Water

You should avoid various salads and fruit that doesn’t need to be peeled, unless you’re certain it has been washed with safe and pristine water. Tap water in the third-world countries often isn’t really advisable, so it’s best to stick to bottled water. You should always ask the locals about the safety of the water. Check carefully whether the bottle is still factory sealed before drinking bottled water. In many places, unscrupulous vendors try to gain more profit with irresponsible scams: they fill empty bottles, picked up who knows where, with normal water and sell them as brand new. Unwary buyers often overlook the fact that the bottle cap isn’t fasted with a plastic security band, which prevents the opening of the factory-sealed bottled water. If bottled water isn’t available, special tablets and disinfecting liquids can do the trick, though they might leave an unpleasant aftertaste. As a last resort, you can also boil the water for at least 20(!) minutes.

Ice cubes are only safe if they were made using safe and pristine water. You should also use only bottled water when brushing your teeth.

Unfortunately, tourist agencies often forget to mention water issues or dryly mention drinking tap water isn’t advisable, simply to attract as many guests as possible. But the danger lies also in rivers and lakes. There are numerous parasites lurking to hitch a ride with the swimmers, such as perhaps the most unpleasant Schistosoma or blood fluke that causes schistosomiasis, also known as bilharziasis. Many of the African and American rivers and lakes may be a source for an infection with these microorganisms. Slow rivers and cut-off channels or oxbow lakes are the most dangerous. Luckily, these types of infections are treatable, especially if detected early. The disease, however, can break out weeks after the infection, causing difficulties for local doctors. When returning home and noticing unusual symptoms, it’s best not to forget to mention to your doctor where you’ve travelled.