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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffShigella infection usually runs its course in five to seven days. Replacing lost fluids from diarrhea may be all the treatment you need, particularly if your general health is good and your shigella infection is mild. Other treatments may be necessary in more-severe cases.
Treatments include:
- Antibiotics. For severe shigella infection, which may last for weeks, antibiotics may shorten the duration of the illness. However, some shigella bacteria, particularly those contracted in developing nations, have become drug resistant. So it's better not to take antibiotics unless your shigella infection is severe, in which case your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic such as sulfamethoxazole with trimethoprim (Bactrim, Septra, others), azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax) or ciprofloxacin (Cipro). Antibiotics may also be necessary for infants, older adults and people who have HIV infection, as well as in situations where there's high risk of spreading the disease.
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Fluid and salt replacement. For generally healthy adults, drinking water may be enough to counteract the dehydrating effects of diarrhea. Children may benefit from an oral rehydrating solution, such as Pedialyte, available in drugstores. These solutions contain water and salts in specific proportions to replenish both fluids and electrolytes — minerals such as sodium, potassium and calcium that maintain the balance of fluids in your body.
Children and adults who are severely dehydrated need treatment in a hospital emergency room, where they can receive electrolytes and fluids through a vein (intravenously), rather than by mouth. Intravenous hydration provides the body with water and essential nutrients much more quickly than oral solutions do.
Don't take anti-diarrheal agents
Drugs intended to treat diarrhea, such as loperamide (Imodium) and diphenoxylate with atropine (Lomotil), can make your condition worse. Don't take them.
