for the most part we're talking about bacterial infections. almost 90% of travelers' diarrhea cases are caused by bacteria. the enterotoxigenic e. coli [etec strains of common bacteria that produce a toxin affecting the gut] are [the] most important cause. and then there are others such as salmonella shigella campylobacter vibrio and others that are less common. travelers' diarrhea may also be caused by viruses such as norovirus which is in the news a lot because of how quickly it can spread through a cruise ship. parasitic travelers' diarrhea is yet another kind. giardia intestinalis is the most common of these but there is a large number of parasites that can cause diarrhea. these are less frequent.
what kinds of infection cause travelers' diarrhea?