Antimicrobial therapy of travellers' diarrhoea.

: Two trials were carried out to evaluate antimicrobial agents in the therapy of travellers' diarrhoea. In the first, 72 students were given 500 mg bicozamycin (BI), a poorly absorbable drug, q.i.d. for three days and 68 were given a placebo. In the second, 37 students were given trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (160 mg TMP-SMX 800 mg), 38 TMP (200 mg), and in 35 a placebo was given b.i.d. for five days. Diarrhoea lasted on average 28 hours in those receiving BI compared to 64 hours in the placebo group (p = 0.00009). Significant shortening of diarrhoea after taking BI was seen for all subjects with illness, as well as those with ETEC diarrhoea, shigellosis and for those with unknown causes of illness. A significant clinical response was also noted in all categories of diarrhoea for both TMP-SMX and TMP when compared to placebo group.