Answer 48
Travellers' diarrhoea
False a. the single most common causative organism is entero-invasive E. coli
False b. has an incubation period of at least 48 hours
True c. may be due to Aeromonas ssp.
True d. may be due to Cryptosporidium
True e. should be treated with antibiotics
Table 48
| Causes of travellers' diarrhoea |
enterotoxigenic E.coli (c.40% of cases)
Shigella
enteroinvasive E.coli
Campylobacter jejuni
Salmonella
Plesiomonas
Aeromonas
protozoa
viruses
no pathogen found (20% of cases) |
The diarrhoea usually begins in the first few days. Antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, especially if started early, reduce the duration of diarrhoea and have a good safety profile in adults. Non-gastrointestinal pathogens such as Plasmodium falciparum can also cause diarrhoea.
