Journal List > J Korean Med Assoc > v.50(7) > 1041919

Lee: Management of Acute Infectious Diarrhea

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.

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Assessment and fluid therapy based on degree of dehydration
jkma-50-600-i001
Table 2
Composition of Oral Rehydration Therapy and other clear liquids
jkma-50-600-i002
Table 3
Antimicrobial recommendations for infectious diarrhea with specific pathogen*
jkma-50-600-i003

*: There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that the use of fluoroquinolones is safe in children, but they should be used with caution in children, given reports of damage to articular cartilage of young beagles in preclinical testing

: Doxycycline and tetracycline may cause permanent discoloration of teeth during tooth development and are not recommended for use in children younger than 8 years of age

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