Gastrointestinal infections clinical presentation

Describe the epidemiology and clinical presentation of the various gastrointestinal infections. 

As patients improve clinicaUy, the route of administration should be reevaluated. Streamlining therapy from parenteral to oral (switch therapy) has become an accepted practice for many infections outside the bloodstream and CNS. Criteria that should be present to justify a switch to oral therapy include (1) overall clinical improvement, (2) lack of fever for 24 to 48 hours, (3) decreased WBC count, and (4) a functioning gastrointestinal tract. Drugs that exhibit excellent oral bioavaUabifity when compared with intravenous formulations include ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, doxycycline, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, metronidazole, moxifloxacin, linezolid, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. 

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