Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea

When To Call A Professional

Call your doctor promptly if you have been taking antibiotics and you develop any of the following symptoms:

• More than five loose stools or episodes of diarrhea per day

• High-volume, watery diarrhea

• A fever

• Abdominal pain or tenderness

• Blood or pus in your stool

Prognosis

Overall, the prognosis is excellent. Almost all adults with mild antibiotic-associated diarrhea recover completely without complications.

Among people with more severe C. difficile diarrhea, 15% to 35% have the problem return within eight weeks after their treatment with metronidazole ends. Almost all of these patients can be cured with a second course of medication.

Additional Info

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Office of Communications & Public Liaison 6610 Rockledge Drive, MSC6612 Bethesda, MD 20892-6612 Phone: (301) 496-5717 http://www.niaid.nih.gov/

National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Disorders Office of Communications and Public Liaison Building 31, Room 9A04 31 Center Drive, MSC 2560 Bethesda, MD 20892-2560 Phone: (301) 496-4000 E-Mail: niddk_inquiries@nih.gov http://www.niddk.nih.gov/

National Center for Infectious Diseases Office of Health Communication Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Mailstop C-14 1600 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30333 Toll-Free: (888) 232-3228 http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/

American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) P.O. Box 3099 Arlington, VA 22302 http://www.acg.gi.org/

Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 5100 Paint Branch Parkway College Park, MD 20740-3835 Toll-Free: (800) 463-6332 http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/