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Diarrhoea - antibiotic associated - Management
How should I manage antibiotic-associated diarrhoea if C. difficile infection is not suspected or while awaiting the result of C. difficile toxin testing?
For people in whom Clostridium difficile infection is not suspected, or while awaiting a C. difficile toxin test result:
- Assess the severity of the condition and consider whether hospital admission is appropriate (for further information, see the CKS topic on Gastroenteritis).
- If hospital admission is not required:
- Stop the antibiotic, if this is appropriate.
- Seek specialist advice if it is not appropriate to stop the antibiotic and the diarrhoea is severe.
- If highly suspicious that the person has C. difficile infection, consider seeking specialist advice on whether empirical antibiotic treatment should be offered.
- Manage fluid loss and symptoms as for acute gastroenteritis (for further information, see the CKS topic on Gastroenteritis).
- Avoid the use of antimotility drugs (such as loperamide) to treat diarrhoeal symptoms while awaiting C. difficile results.
- Give advice on hygiene measures to minimize the spread of possible infection (for further information, see the section on Preventing spread of infection in the CKS topic on Gastroenteritis).
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