Role of quinolones in the treatment of diarrhoeal diseases.

Diarrhoeal diseases are still an important health problem in both developing and developed countries, and resistance to commonly used antibiotics among enteric pathogens is a major issue. Quinolones have become important agents in the treatment of diarrhoeal diseases because of their excellent in vitro activity against pathogens and their pharmacological features. In many clinical studies, they appeared to be effective in the treatment of shigellosis and the prevention and treatment of diarrhoea in travellers. Several studies have demonstrated that single-dose therapy with these agents is sufficient in many cases. Their role in the treatment of acute salmonellosis is still controversial, because of their lack of efficacy in eliminating salmonella from the faeces.