Prevention and Treatment
There are currently available treatment options against travelers' diarrhea, specifically against illness due to cholera. To date, no vaccines have been approved to specifically target ETEC. Data from natural history studies of ETEC infections in children in developing countries suggest that immunization against ETEC early in life may be an effective preventive strategy. Prevention through vaccination is a critical part of the strategy to reduce the incidence and severity of diarrheal disease due to ETEC, particularly among children in low-resource settings. The development of a vaccine against this infection has been hampered by technical contraints, insufficient support for coordination, and a lack of market forces for research and development. Most vaccine development efforts are taking place in the public sector or as research programs within biotechnology companies. Several vaccine candidates against ETEC are currently in various phases of research and development, including a number of ongoing clinical trials. The World Health Organization recommends further research into the development of a vaccine against ETEC.
Treatment for ETEC infection includes rehydration therapy and antibiotics, although ETEC is frequently resistant to common antibiotics. Improved sanitation is also key, since the transmission of this bacterium is fecal contamination of food and water supplies, one way to prevent infection is by improving public and private health facilities. Another simple prevention of infection is by drinking factory bottled water, this is especially important for travelers and traveling military.
Read more about this topic: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli
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