Infectious diarrhea

Patients presenting to the emergency department with diarrhea should be evaluated for infectious causes. Information obtained from the history and physical examination should be used in deciding whether symptomatic treatment alone is sufficient or whether the patient's stool should be examined for pathogens. Antiperistaltic agents should be used only in selected patients, usually after the results of stool cultures are known to be negative. Antibiotic administration should be based on results of stool cultures and examination for parasites. Finally, the emergency physician should be familiar with the special situations of traveler's diarrhea, food-borne illness, and sexually transmitted enteric disease.