[Beware of hidden dangers] How to handle poisonous bites or food poisoning when travelling?
Lifestyle2026-01-21
8 Mins Read
Enjoying the tropical charm of Southeast Asia, when suddenly a burning pain shoots through your ankle — only to discover you’ve been attacked by a swarm of red ants? Or perhaps you’re immersed in a self‑drive adventure in Japan, only to be struck in the middle of the night by severe stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea?
Poisoning risks during travel often arrive unexpectedly and leave you at a loss. Whether it’s encountering venomous insects or ticks during outdoor activities, or accidentally consuming contaminated food or water, these health threats can swiftly turn a wonderful holiday upside down. This guide aims to provide travellers with clear, practical self‑help knowledge — from recognising symptoms and taking immediate action, to adopting essential preventive strategies and insurance protection. With these tools, you can remain calm in the face of crisis, make the right decisions, and minimise harm and risk.
The concealed dangers of travel — Poisoning risks you cannot ignore
In unfamiliar environments, our guard may be lowered by novelty, yet the local natural ecology and food culture can conceal unexpected health threats. Among these, venomous insect or tick bites/stings and food poisoning are the two most common crises that catch travellers off guard. If handled improperly, the consequences may range from disrupting your itinerary to endangering your life. Rather than panicking afterwards, it is wiser to equip yourself with knowledge in advance. This is not only an emergency response guide, but also a reminder of the principle that prevention is better than cure, and how travel insurance can serve as a solid safety net, allowing you to explore the world with greater peace of mind.
Crisis one: Identifying and handling venomous insect bites/stings
When attacked by poisonous insects, staying calm is the first step. Panicked running or swatting may provoke a more intense assault.
Common venomous insects encountered during travel and their symptoms
Quick identification of the insect that has bitten you helps assess the severity:
- Bees, hornets: Immediate sharp pain, swelling and redness at the wound, with possible stinger remnants. Be highly alert to anaphylactic shock, with symptoms such as breathing difficulty, throat swelling, dizziness, and widespread rash.
- Red fire ants: Intense burning pain; within hours the wound may form white pustules, lasting for several days.
- Centipedes: Localised severe pain and swelling, sometimes accompanied by numbness. In serious cases, may cause lymphangitis (red streaks on the skin).
- Venomous spiders (e.g. black widow, violin spider): The bite may initially be painless, but hours later the wound can worsen, blister, and trigger systemic symptoms such as muscle stiffness, spasms, chills and fever.
- Scorpions: Immediate severe pain, numbness or tingling. In serious cases, may affect the nervous system, leading to muscle twitching and blurred vision.
- Ticks: Common in grasslands or forests, they attach to the skin and may cause local redness and itching. More seriously, they can transmit diseases such as Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS), which has recently drawn attention in Japan as the virus spreads eastward. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, bleeding due to reduced platelets and white blood cells, vomiting and diarrhoea; in severe cases, it may even result in multiple organ failure.
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Golden SOP for emergency treatment
If bitten or stung by a toxic insect, you should remain calm and seek medical attention immediately. If immediate assistance is not available, you may refer to the following treatment steps, remembering this simple mantra: Distance, scrape, wash, ice, ointment, elevate. However, handling methods may vary depending on the situation, the following steps are for reference only. For detailed guidance, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
1. Distance: Stay calm and slowly move away from the scene to avoid further attacks or pursuit by swarms. In addition, although Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) is mainly transmitted through tick bites, travellers should also be cautious when interacting with dogs and cats. Whether visiting cat islands, animal cafés, or farm experiences, overly close contact may increase the risk.
2. Scrape: If stung by a bee, the stinger may remain visible on the skin. Use a credit card, the back of a knife, or another firm card to scrape it off. Do not use tweezers, as squeezing may inject more venom. If you are bitten by a tick, you can use fine‑tipped tweezers to grasp the tick’s head as close to the skin as possible, and slowly pull upward in a steady, vertical motion. Avoid twisting or squeezing the tick’s body.
3. Wash: Gently and thoroughly clean the wound with soap and water to reduce the risk of infection.
4. Ice: Wrap an ice pack or a chilled canned drink in a towel and apply to the wound for 15–20 minutes to effectively relieve pain and swelling.
5. Ointment: In specific situations, topical creams containing steroids (anti‑inflammatory) or antihistamines (anti‑itch) may be applied, but always consult a qualified healthcare professional before use.
6. Elevate: If the wound is on a limb, raise the affected area above heart level to help reduce swelling.
When must you seek immediate medical attention? (Critical warning signs)
If any of the following occur, you should seek medical help without delay:
- Signs of anaphylactic shock: breathing difficulty, throat tightness, hoarse voice, dizziness or fainting, rapid heartbeat.
- Rapidly spreading redness or pain around the wound.
- Systemic symptoms: such as fever, chills, muscle or joint pain, nausea, vomiting, headache.
- Suspected bites from highly venomous spiders or scorpions, or if the patient is a child or elderly person.
Planning your next adventure?
AXA SmartTraveller Plus has you covered every step of the way.
Crisis two: Identifying and handling food poisoning
Foodborne illness is especially common when travelling. Although the symptoms of food poisoning may appear similar, the sources differ, and the focus of treatment also varies slightly.
Common causes and symptoms
- Bacterial (e.g. Salmonella, E. coli): Incubation period ranges from several hours to a few days. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea (sometimes with mucus), abdominal pain, and fever.
- Viral (e.g. Norovirus): Short incubation period, often causing sudden vomiting, watery diarrhoea, muscle aches, and is highly contagious.
- Toxin‑related (e.g. seafood toxins, mushroom toxins): Symptoms may involve the nervous system, such as numbness of the lips, dizziness, blurred vision, weakness in the limbs. This type of poisoning is particularly dangerous.
Golden SOP for handling food poisoning
If food poisoning occurs during travel, you should seek medical attention immediately. If prompt assistance is not available, you may refer to the following treatment steps for reference. However, the following steps are for reference only. For detailed guidance, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
1. Stop eating: Immediately cease consumption of any suspicious food to allow the stomach and intestines to rest.
2. Rehydrate with fluids and electrolytes: This is the most important step in managing food poisoning. Vomiting and diarrhoea cause significant loss of water and electrolytes, so it is essential to replenish them in small, frequent amounts using oral rehydration solution (ORS), diluted sports drinks, or clear broth to prevent dehydration.
3. Gentle diet: Once nausea subsides, try extremely bland foods such as plain congee, white toast, bananas, or apple purée. Avoid greasy, sugary, or dairy products.
4. Do not rush to stop diarrhoea: Before seeking medical care, it is not advisable to take strong anti‑diarrhoeal medication, as diarrhoea is the body’s natural process for expelling toxins.
When to seek immediate medical attention? (Critical warning signs)
- Severe dehydration symptoms: extreme thirst, dry mouth and tongue, markedly reduced urine output (no urination for over 8 hours), sunken eyes, weakness so severe you cannot stand.
- Stools containing blood or pus.
- High fever exceeding 38.5°C.
- Neurological symptoms: blurred vision, muscle weakness, difficulty speaking, abnormal sensations.
Prevention is better than cure: Traveller’s safety guidelines
Rather than dealing with problems afterwards, it is wiser to prepare thoroughly in advance and reduce risks at the root.
Preventing insect or tick bites
- Protective clothing: In jungles or grassland areas, wear light‑coloured long‑sleeved shirts and trousers, and tuck trouser legs into socks or boots.
- Apply insect repellent: Use mosquito repellent containing DEET or Picaridin, and reapply regularly. Apply sunscreen first, allow it to absorb, then spray repellent.
- Check your surroundings: When checking into accommodation, inspect beds, curtains and corners. Avoid lingering near wasp nests or ant hills.
Preventing food poisoning (Remember the ‘Boil, Cook, Wash’ principle)
- Choose restaurants wisely: Opt for eateries with many customers and a visibly clean environment. Checking online reviews can also help.
- Food choices: Ensure food is thoroughly cooked, especially meat, seafood and eggs. Avoid raw items such as oysters, sashimi (if unsure about local seafood hygiene), or unpasteurised dairy products.
- Street‑food savvy: Select stalls where food is prepared fresh to order and cooked at high temperatures (fried or boiled). Avoid food that has been left out uncovered for long periods.
- Personal hygiene: Carry alcohol‑based hand sanitiser or disinfectant wipes, and always clean your hands before eating. Drink bottled water, and avoid beverages with ice unless you are certain of the source.
Your ultimate safeguard: The importance of travel insurance
Knowledge can help you with self‑care, but it cannot cover the costly overseas medical bills. A suitable travel insurance plan will be your strongest support.
Why is insurance necessary? Real‑life scenarios
Imagine travelling in the United States, where a severe case of food poisoning requires emergency treatment and an overnight hospital stay — the bill could easily reach thousands or even tens of thousands of US dollars. Or picture being bitten by an unknown insect in Australia, triggering a serious allergic reaction that demands hospitalisation. The medical costs are equally staggering. Without insurance, these accidents translate directly into a heavy financial burden.
How to choose the right travel insurance
- Adequate coverage limits: When travelling to countries or regions with high medical costs, pay attention to whether the insurance plan provides sufficient medical coverage to cope with emergencies. Even when travelling to other destinations, it is still recommended to choose a plan that offers comprehensive protection.
- Confirm coverage scope: The policy must clearly include accidental medical treatment and illness‑related medical treatment (usually covering food poisoning). The clause for emergency medical evacuation/repatriation is crucial, as transferring to another hospital or arranging an air ambulance home can be extremely expensive.
- Understand deductibles and terms: Read the policy carefully to know whether you must pay upfront. Always note the 24‑hour international emergency assistance hotline of your insurer.
For example, under AXA SmartTraveller Plus, it provides comprehensive medical coverage of up to HKD1 million, including medical expenses, hospital cash allowance, and follow-up treatments within 90 days of return from abroad. In addition, in the event of contracting an infectious disease^ during the journey, with a diagnosis confirming that the contraction occurred outside Hong Kong and is confirmed within 7 days of returning, you can still claim for medical expenses incurred in Hong Kong, even if you have not incurred any medical expenses overseas — giving greater peace of mind during the journey.
Moreover, when feeling unwell abroad, it may be difficult to find a doctor or obtain prescribed medication. To address this, the plan includes a virtual medical consultation service. Customers with annual coverage are entitled to two free remote video consultations per policy year in select overseas destinations, along with coverage for medicine delivery to your door. This helps eliminate the challenges of language barriers and long travel distances.
What to do in case of an emergency
- If the situation is critical, first dial the local emergency number (e.g. 911 in the United States, 112 in Europe, 119 in Japan).
- Once the situation is stable, promptly contact your insurance company. They can provide medical guidance, arrange advance payment of expenses, and offer direct assistance.
- Keep all original documents carefully: including medical certificates, detailed receipts, itemised bills, and discharge summaries, to facilitate claims processing after returning to Hong Kong.
Planning your next adventure?
AXA SmartTraveller Plus has you covered every step of the way.
How does AXA SmartTraveller Plus ensure your protection?
- Complete coverage for travel delays: Whether it's additional accommodation, transportation expenses, or unrecoverable event ticket fees due to your absence, our protection encompasses all these aspects.
- Peace of mind regarding medical expenses: Our coverage takes care of medical costs resulting from illness or accidental injury abroad, including follow-up treatments within 90 days of return from abroad.
- Assurance for long and short trips: Whether you're embarking on a single trip lasting up to 360 days or multiple trips within a year, each no longer than 90 days, our comprehensive strategies ensure that you have adequate protection.
- Safeguarding personal belongings: Accidental loss of personal items can be frustrating. That’s why our coverage extends to provide protection for baggage, clothing, wallet, documents, camera, mobile phone, watch, laptop computer, and more, providing you with peace of mind.
- One-way overseas travel with no age limit: We offer extensive one-way overseas travel protection for you and your family, with no upper age limit.
- Family coverage for ease of policy management and cost saving: Our annual protection offers a family plan, ensuring that parents and all their children* are covered under a single policy, requiring only one total premium payment.
- Virtual medical consultation service: When travelling to select overseas destinations in Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and the Philippines, it offers free virtual medical consultation and cover costs for medicine delivery to your door twice per policy year.
Good preparation makes for worry‑free travel
When facing potential poisoning risks during a trip, a complete response strategy involves three key aspects: knowledge, prevention, and protection. By mastering the recognition of symptoms and emergency handling, you can carry out immediate self‑care; by implementing preventive measures, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of encountering risks; and with a comprehensive travel insurance plan, you secure the most important safety net for your journey, ensuring that accidents do not turn into financial disasters.
When planning your next exciting trip, remember to include this safety guide and travel insurance in your pre‑departure checklist, so you can truly set off with peace of mind and return with joy.
^Any kind of infectious disease which is publicly announced as such and requires quarantine by the government.
*Children must be between 30 days and under 18 years old, named in the same policy schedule as their parent(s), and travelling together with their parent(s) for the entire trip; the benefit limits on medical expenses and personal accident for them is lower under this coverage, however there is an option to upgrade if desired.
The plan is subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of the relevant policy contract. AXA reserves the final right to approve any application. For detailed terms, conditions and exclusions of the plan, please refer to the relevant policy contract.
No warranty or responsibility is assumed by AXA Hong Kong and our related or holding companies regarding non-infringement, security, accuracy, completeness, adequacy, reasonableness, fitness for a purpose or free from computer viruses in connection with the information and materials provided. AXA Hong Kong and our related companies and holding companies do not accept any liability for any loss, damage, cost or other expense, whether wholly or partially, directly or indirectly, arising from any error, inaccuracy or omission of the information and materials to the extent that such liability is not excluded by law.
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