References
- ^Steffen R, Hill DR, DuPont HLTraveler's diarrhea: a clinical reviewJAMA.(2015 Jan 6)
- ^Leung AKC, Leung AAM, Wong AHC, Hon KLTravelers' Diarrhea: A Clinical Review.Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov.(2019)
Treatment of traveler’s diarrhea focuses on preventing dehydration and controlling symptoms (e.g., diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramping).[1] Oral rehydration solutions that are pre-mixed, or are prepared by adding oral rehydration salts to bottled, boiled, or filtered water, can be used to alleviate dehydration.[2]
Loperamide — an antimotility and antisecretory medication — can be used to reduce diarrhea, but its use should be avoided in children under 2, and in those with a fever or blood/mucus in the diarrhea.[2][1] Bismuth subsalicylate may also be used to reduce diarrhea, but it tends to have more side effects than loperamide and interacts with several medications.[2][1] In more severe cases of traveler’s diarrhea, antibiotics may be used along with antidiarrheal medications to try to eradicate the pathogen.[2][1]