E. coli enteritis

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Digestive system

Digestive system organs

E. coli enteritis

Alternative Names:

Traveler's diarrhea - E. coli; Food poisoning - E. coli; E. coli diarrhea; Hamburger disease
Treatment:

Cases usually clear up on their own in 1- 3 days, and no treatment is required. Antidiarrhealdrugs may delay the elimination of thegerms from the digestive tract, and therefore may not be recommended.

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Rehydration with electrolyte solutions may be necessary if dehydration from diarrhea occurs. People with diarrhea (especially in young children) who are unable to take oral fluids because of nausea may need medical attention and intravenous fluids.

People taking diuretics need to be cautious with diarrhea, and may need to stop taking the diuretic during the acute episode, as directed by the health care provider.

Avoid dairy products. Theymay make the diarrhea worse due to the temporary lactose intolerance that can arise.

Expectations (prognosis):

The illness usually runs its course in a few days, without treatment.

Complications:

Dehydration
Prolonged diarrhea
Temporary lactose intolerance afterwards

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you are unable to keep fluids down, if diarrhea does not go away in 3 - 4 days, or if you see blood in the stool.

Call your health care provider if you develop symptoms of dehydration, symptoms worsen or do not improve with treatment, or new symptoms develop.