title: Management of acute diarrhoea.
abstract: Acute diarrhoeal diseases are an important cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in children. Acute diarrhoea may be watery, where features of dehydration are more prominent or dysenteric, where the stools contain blood and mucous. Rehydration therapy is the key to the management of acute watery diarrhoea, whereas antibiotics play a vital role in the management of acute invasive diarrhoea, particularly shigellosis. Rehydration may be done either by the oral or intravenous routes depending upon the degree of dehydration. Oral rehydration salt solution of WHO formula is recommended for oral rehydration therapy (ORT). Ringer's lactate is the ideal intravenous fluid for correction of severe dehydration due to diarrhoea. Antibiotic therapy is beneficial for cholera and shigellosis only. Antiparasitic agents are indicated only if amoebiasis or giardiasis is present. Antidiarrhoeals are of no benefit for the treatment of acute diarrhoea. Appropriate feeding during diarrhoea is recommended with beneficial outcome.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Cholera & Enteric Diseases, Calcutta.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015532:Rehydration Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015532:Rehydration Solutions