Infectious Diarrhoea - Antibiotic Prescribing

Comments from Expert Advisory Group

Antibiotic therapy is not indicated for infectious diarrhoea for patients who are systemically well. If patients are systemically unwell or post-antibiotic, suggesting Clostridioides difficile , antibiotics may be indicated, discuss with Consultant Microbiologist.

Consider seeking advice from a consultant microbiologist and send a faecal sample to microbiology for testing in the following circumstances:

  • The patient is systemically unwell or has severe or bloody diarrhoea
  • The patient has persistent diarrhoea > 5 days
  • The patient is a returning traveller
  • The patient is at high risk for severe disease

Consider shigellosis as a differential diagnosis in adult males who present with bloody diarrhoea.

Patient Information

Reviewed July 2023

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