E. Coli Diarrhoea

Most people do not need tests for E. coli. But the doctor might want to do:

• Tests on a sample of your bowel movements
• Blood tests

The types of E. coli that cause bloody diarrhoea can sometimes also cause problems with the kidneys or blood. If you get sick with E. coli, doctors might do tests to check for these problems.

Many people do not need any specific treatment. Diarrhoea from E. coli is not usually treated with antibiotic medicines. With some types of E. coli that cause diarrhoea, antibiotics might actually make the illness worse. But if E. coli causes symptoms in other parts of the body, you might need antibiotics.

Yes. If you have diarrhoea, you can:

• Drink a lot of liquids that have water, salt, and sugar. Good choices are soup broth and water mixed with juice. If you are drinking enough fluids, your urine will be light yellow or almost clear.
• Eat a little food if you feel hungry. Good choices are potatoes, noodles, rice, oatmeal, crackers, bananas, soup, and boiled vegetables. Salty foods help the most.

Ask your Gastroenterologist before you take any over-the-counter medicines for diarrhoea. If you have E. coli infection, some of these medicines can be harmful.