At a glance
- People with diarrhea should drink extra fluids to prevent dehydration.
- Most people recover without using antibiotics.
- Antibiotics are sometimes used to treat or prevent severe illness.
Treatment overview
Fluids
People with diarrhea should drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Dehydration is not having enough water in the body.
Fluids to drink include:
- Clear liquids (such as water)
- Oral rehydration solutions (including Pedialyte®*)
*Use of trademarks is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Antibiotics
Most people with Campylobacter infection get better without antibiotics.
Antibiotics are sometimes used to treat severe illness caused by Campylobacter infection. They also are sometimes used to treat Campylobacter infection in people at risk for severe illness.
Drug-resistant Campylobacter
Some Campylobacter are resistant to antibiotics commonly used to treat infection.
Drug resistance happens when bacteria (germs) develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. That means the germs are not killed and continue to grow.
Drug-resistant infections can be harder to treat, last longer, cause more severe illness, and lead to higher healthcare costs.
How this affects your treatment
Your healthcare provider might order special tests to see if the bacteria causing your infection are drug resistant. Results from those tests might affect the antibiotics you receive.
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