Treatment of salmonella enterocolitis
Most cases of Salmonella enterocolitis require only oral rehydration therapy, with the illness being short and self-limiting. Most antibiotics do not influence the course of the disease and may prolong the duration of intestinal carriage.
Consult microbiology advice regarding the use of antibiotic therapy in this condition.
The use of antibiotic treatment for Salmonella enterocolitis is not well supported and there is evidence that inappropriate antibiotic treatment may increase the risk of a carrier state (1).
Note though that the elderly, the immunosuppressed and those with gastric hypochlorhydria are at risk of serious disease or septicaemia
- septicaemia may occur and requires prompt hospitalisation and antibiotic therapy. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have severe illness and develop complications
Reference:
- Prescriber (2003), 14 (20), 48-60.
- Pathol Biol (Paris). 1990 Nov;38(9):894-8.
- PHE (2019). Recommendations for the Public Health Management of Gastrointestinal Infections
Related pages
Create an account to add page annotations
Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.