General Information

• The majority of adults with diarrhea of less than two weeks duration have an infectious cause for their diarrhea, and in most cases the infection is a virus. Other common causes of acute diarrhea are food poisoning and medications.
• Maintaining good hydration is the cornerstone of treatment of adults with acute diarrhea. In general, an adult who is alert, feels well, and who is not thirsty or dizzy - is not dehydrated.
• Antibiotic therapy is only rarely required in the treatment of acute diarrhea. One type of acute diarrhea that requires antibiotic therapy is Traveler's Diarrhea.