Travelers’ Diarrhea: Should “Cook it, Boil it, Peel it, or forget it!” be forgotten?

Review of the Data

•Loewenstein [Mexico, The Lancet, 1973]

–“ Drinking bottled liquids, and avoiding salads, raw vegetables, and unpeeled fruits failed to prevent illness”

•Merson [Mexico, NEJM 1976]

–“Illness was not associated with consumption of water or iced beverages. Illness was similarly not associated with consumption of vendor food, salads containing raw vegetables, other raw vegetables, or unpeeled fruits.”

•Steffen [World, JAMA 1983]

–“Thus, diarrhea seemed to occur more frequently the more a person tried to elude it!”