Abstract

Oral rifaximin, a semisynthetic rifamycin derivative, is an effective and well tolerated antibacterial for the management of adults with non-invasive traveller's diarrhoea. Rifaximin was significantly more effective than placebo and no less effective than ciprofloxacin in reducing the duration of diarrhoea after treatment initiation for illness contracted during travel to diverse geographic locations. While rifaximin is effective in patients with Escherichia coli-predominant traveller's diarrhoea, it appears ineffective in patients infected with inflammatory or invasive enteropathogens. Rifaximin has a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity in vitro and undergoes negligible systemic absorption (<0.4%). In contrast to systemically absorbed antibacterials, such as the fluoroquinolones and macrolides, the acquisition of resistance to rifaximin would have limited consequences for global public health, as rifaximin has no role in the management of systemic infections. Rifaximin shows promise as chemoprophylaxis against traveller's diarrhoea and is a valuable new option for the management of traveller's diarrhoea caused by non-invasive bacterial strains.

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.