Treatment for Shigella Infection
Although shigellosis is usually a self-limited illness, antibiotics can shorten the course of illness, and in the most serious cases might be life-saving. The antibiotics commonly used for treatment are ampicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (also known as Bactrim or Septra), ceftriaxone (Rocephin), or, among adults, ciprofloxacin (CDC, 2009a).
Some Shigella bacteria have become resistant to one or more antibiotics. This means some antibiotics might not be effective for treatment. Using antibiotics to treat shigellosis can sometimes make the bacteria more resistant. Therefore, when many persons in a community are affected by shigellosis, antibiotics are sometimes used to treat only the most severe cases.
Antidiarrheal agents such as loperamide (Imodium) or diphenoxylate with atropine (Lomotil) can make the illness worse and should be avoided. The best way to determine which antibiotic is effective is to obtain a stool culture and antibiotic sensitivity tests.