How is it treated?

People who do not have suppressed immune systems usually recover on their own without medication, although drinking extra amounts of fluid is often necessary to prevent dehydration.

For HIV-positive people with suppressed immune systems, medications are sometimes necessary to help treat the infection. In most cases, a short course (7 to 14 days) of antibiotic treatment is all that is necessary. However, for people with suppressed immune systems, 4 to 6 weeks of antibiotic therapy might be necessary.

Salmonellosis: The most effective treatment for salmonellosis is ciprofloxacin (Cipro). This antibiotic is a tablet and must be taken twice a day for the first 2 to 4 weeks. After that, the drug is sometimes continued once a day for several months, depending on how suppressed the immune system is. Alternative antibiotics include levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), gatifloxacin (Tequin), cefotaxime (Claforan), ceftriaxone (Rocephin), or TMP-SMX (Bactrim; Septra). Severe cases of salmonellosis that involve infection in the blood (bacteremia), IV antibiotics may be necessary. Salmonellosis can often recur in people with suppressed immune systems, so treatment with antibiotics may extend to six months. Longer use of antibiotics to prevent recurrence of salmonellosis is not recommended.

Campylobacteriosis: The treatment or mild-to-moderate campylobacteriosis usually involves azithromycin (Zithromax) or ciprofloxacin (Cipro) for seven days. For more severe cases of campylobacteriosis, adding a second antibiotic, such as vancomycin (Vancocin), may be necessary.

Shigellosis: Shigellosis is usually treated with one of these antibiotics: ciprofloxacin (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), or gatifloxacin (Tequin). Alternative options may include either azithromycin (Zithromax) or TMP-SMX (Bactrim; Septra). Treatment time may range from 3 to 14 days depending on how badly the immune system has been suppressed.

It might also be useful to consider other treatments that can help control diarrhea. Click here to learn more about the things you and your doctor can do to help manage your diarrhea.

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