Simple hygiene rules

Contaminated water and food or dirty hands can lead to serious bacterial or parasitic diseases: hepatitis A, typhoid, polio, cholera, etc.

If you are travelling to countries with inadequate sanitary conditions, the water and food will often be contaminated. By following a few simple hygiene rules, you can avoid contracting certain serious diseases.

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water: before every meal, before cooking, before eating and after using the toilet.
• Check the visible sanitary conditions in places where you are eating.
• Avoid drinking tap water.
• Avoid using tap water to clean your teeth.
• Drink water from sealed bottles.
• Disinfect water with a chemical treatment (using chlorine-based products sold in pharmacies) or boil it for 10 minutes, filtering it before boiling if it is not clear.
• Avoid foods that are most at risk of contamination, such as:
  
  • cold or rare meats,
  • cooked meats,
  • raw or unpasteurised dairy products (yoghurt, cheese, raw butter, crème fraîche, etc.),
  • puddings,
  • ice creams,
  • ice cubes,
  • raw eggs,
  • mayonnaise,
  • fish,
  • shellfish,
  • molluscs,
  • raw vegetables,
  • salads.
• Wash fruit and vegetables using drinking water.
• Peel fruit.
• Eat dishes that have been cooked and are served very hot.