A bout of flu-like illnesses including rashes, exhaustion and diarrhea infected nearly every student and staff member who participated in a child and youth worker service project trip from March 20 to April 2 to Nicaragua.

On the Wednesday of the first week, many people started falling sick. By Friday, only six of the 17 Algonquin students showed up to work on the school they had traveled to Nicaragua to build.

In the rural village Haulover, second year child and youth worker student Marcel Lemieux was taken to the health clinic in the nearby town of Pearl Lagoon with a rash.

The diagnosis was unclear. According to trip leaders, the doctors there thought it might be a heat-related problem, or an allergy relating to the malaria medication taken before the trip. Companeros company owner Gonzalo Duarte suggested it might be an allergic reaction to peanuts or cashews.

The I.V. inserted during the visit however, later lead to a bacterial infection during the second week in Managua, according to the treating doctor there.

"Can you imagine if Marcel got sick in Haulover, how terrible that would be?" third year child and youth worker Angela Hamilton said, referring to Marcel Lemieux's infection.

Another student, Jade Bond, threw up what she managed to eat of her dinner on Tuesday.

By Wednesday, March 24, still in the first week, others were complaining of health-related problems. Lack of appetite, exhaustion, nausea, vomiting and upset stomachs were the most common.

Duarte was informed by a Times reporter of the diminishing condition of Algonquin students and was told that a rest day should be scheduled.

 But more were sick on Thursday. Third year student Leslie Atkinson stayed away from the work site with digestion problems. Trip planners were unsure whether she should go to the clinic or not.

Finally on Friday, students were being taken to the clinic in droves. One of the most common symptoms was continuous vomiting. The trip itinerary was hastily rescheduled and the group left the east coast town a day early by speed boat.

"I thought it was pretty scary," third year child and youth worker student Leslie Atkinson said. "The sickness was pretty similar, but the way everyone reacted to it was so different. And just hoping it wasn't going to be you next."

Many factors have been suggested for the outbreak of illness. The general digestion problems were something students were warned of before the trip and many were taking medication for traveler's diarrhea as well as malaria pills. Students were also required to be immunized against Hepatitis B.

Still, questions remain as to whether some of the illnesses could have been prevented.

"I feel like as a participant we weren't really listened to and we should have been listening to each other as opposed to what everyone in Haulover was saying," Atkinson said.

"I think [illness] was one of the risk factors that got overlooked majorly by Companeros," Hamilton said.

Since returning, students are still experiencing problems.

"Since I've got back, [I've had the] same symptoms: nausea, stomach problems. For me the nausea is all the time," Alanna Beitner said. "I'm being tested for a bacterial infection."

Students were quick to say that despite the illnesses they still considered the trip a success.

"I would totally do it again," Atkinson said. "And I'd do it again just by the response and how we were accepted everywhere."

Trip facilitators hope to use the trip as a learning experience for future international endeavors.

"I think if a program in a location like Haulover was to be attempted again they would require an on-staff medical person to accompany us and perhaps our own permanent transportation (ie. a bus) in case of early evacuation," child and youth worker, and seminar instructor, Naomi Praamsma said in an e-mail.

Dylan Copland, a first-year journalism student accompanied the students to Nicaragua. He was not infected.