J Korean Med Assoc.  2007 Jul;50(7):600-605. 10.5124/jkma.2007.50.7.600.

Management of Acute Infectious Diarrhea

• Lee JS

• KMID: 2184870
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2007.50.7.600

Abstract

Acute infectious diarrhea is a mostly self-limiting disease, but in some clinical situations such as infants, elderly, and immunocompromised patients, diarrheal illnesses might cause ominous results. Appropriate therapy could ameliorate symptoms and improve the prognosis. The mainstay of therapy consists of fluids and electrolytes, diet, symptomatic drugs, and antimicrobial agents. Rehydration is always the first goal of therapy by using oral rehydration solutions or intravenous fluids according to the patient's clinical condition. Antimicrobial therapy could be effective in the treatment of infectious diarrhea such as shigellosis, traveler's diarrhea, and C. difficile-associated colitis but also cause some adverse reactions such as worsening Shiga-toxin producing E. coli infection and increasing cost. So it is advisable to use antimicrobial agents properly and, first of all, preventive measures should be underscored.

Keyword

Acute infectious diarrhea; Oral rehydration therapy; Antibiotics; Management

MeSH Terms

Aged
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
Colitis
Diarrhea*
Diet
Dysentery, Bacillary
Electrolytes
Fluid Therapy
Humans
Immunocompromised Host
Infant
Prognosis
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
Electrolytes

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