the diagnosis of travelers' diarrhea is based solely on the development of diarrhea when visiting a part of the world where this condition is common among travelers. the diarrhea usually is mild self-limited and resolves spontaneously. symptoms usually can be controlled with over-the-counter medications. only when the diarrhea is severe or complicated and possibly when antibiotics are contemplated should attempts be made to identify the exact organism responsible for the diarrhea so that the correct drug therapy can be selected. (identification may be difficult or impossible in undeveloped countries because of the lack of medical laboratories. ) when laboratories are available the stool can be examined for parasites and cultured for bacteria.
how is travelers' diarrhea diagnosed?