[Acute diarrhea--current assessment and therapy in clinical practice].

Acute diarrhea is most commonly caused by infectious agents. The first step in the evaluation is based on the medical history, clinical presentation and simple stool examinations (fecal leukocytes and occult blood). Thereby it can be decided, whether a microbial identification or an antibiotic therapy are indicated. In case of viral or noninvasive, enterotoxinogenic diarrhea oral rehydration is sufficient, whereas enteroinvasive diarrhea or enteric syndromes need further evaluation by stool and blood cultures. Depending on the clinical situation and the result of cultures, an appropriate or empiric therapy with antibiotics is indicated in acute febrile dysentery, shigellosis, cholera, typhoid fever, severe salmonellosis and Cl. difficile colitis.