Updated Guidelines for Acute Infectious Diarrhea in Chinese Pediatrics

New research on the diagnosis and treatment of acute infectious diarrhea in children has been published, updating the previous 2018 guidelines. According to the research from Sichuan University, the updated guidelines incorporate new evidence-based recommendations, including the use of probiotics, racecadotril, zinc, and antibiotics in treating acute infectious diarrhea. The guidelines address various aspects of acute infectious diarrhea, including diagnosis, etiological evaluation, dehydration assessment, fluid therapy, diet therapy, medical therapy, and prevention strategies.

Key Takeaways:

• The updated guidelines recommend the use of probiotics for viral watery diarrhea, while racecadotril remains unsupported.
• Zinc supplementation is recommended for children 6 months in deficient regions.
• Antibiotics are restricted to cases with dysenteric-like symptoms, suspected cholera with severe dehydration, or comorbidities.
• The guidelines emphasize the importance of standardized etiological evaluations in guiding management.
• Probiotics are moderately advised for viral watery diarrhea, while zinc supplementation is recommended for children in deficient regions.
• The guidelines address disputed treatments for acute infectious diarrhea through evidence-based revisions.

Statistics:

• 2024: The year in which the literature review was performed in databases such as PubMed, Cochrane, EMBASE, China Biomedical Database, and the Chinese Journal Full-text Database.
• 2018: The year in which the previous guidelines were published.
• June 2024: The month and year in which the literature review was performed.
• 2025: The year in which the updated guidelines were published.

Sources:

• World Journal of Pediatrics, "Clinical practice guidelines for acute infectious diarrhea in children in China (2024)".
• Sichuan University, Department of Pediatrics, West China Second Hospital.
• NewsRx LLC, "Sichuan University Reports Findings in Science [Clinical practice guidelines for acute infectious diarrhea in children in China (2024)]," Pediatrics Week, June 14, 2025.