Medication in infectious acute diarrhea in children

Acute infectious diarrhea in children remain still a frequent cause of morbidity. 50 % of them are due to rotavirus. Oral rehydratation therapy and early realimentation have drastically reduced their mortality and morbidity. Beside oral or eventually IV rehydratation therapy no medication has proven its efficacy based on the main HMO criteria (reduction of over 30 % of the stool output) except racecadotril and loperamide which is contre-indicated for the last one in children less than 2 years old. Other medications such as silicates or some probiotics have shown efficacy on diarrhea duration or stool consistancy but not on stool output. They have so no formal indication in infectious diarrhea and should be considered as "comfort" treatment. Antibiotics, beside their indication in shigella, cholera and amibiasis could be used in invasive diarrhea in some debilating conditions or infants less than 3 months. (c) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. Tons droits reserves.