Guidance

Infectious diarrhoea: microbiological examination of faeces guide for primary care

Guidance for primary care on collecting a stool specimen for laboratory examination of infectious diarrhoea, for consultation and local adaptation.

This publication was withdrawn on

This page has been withdrawn because it’s out of date. New guidance is available on the management of Clostridioides difficile infection.

If you would like notifications about this or similar tools, contact TARGETAntibiotics@phe.gov.uk or sign up for TARGET toolkit resource updates.

Documents

[Withdrawn] Managing suspected infectious diarrhoea: quick reference guidance for primary care

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email publications@phe.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

[Withdrawn] GP poster for managing suspected infectious diarrhoea

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email publications@phe.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

[Withdrawn] Managing suspected infectious diarrhoea: quick reference guidance for primary care, Appendix A

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email publications@phe.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

This guidance describes:

  • when and how to send a faecal specimen for laboratory examination
  • how to interpret the laboratory report
  • treatment following the report
  • when to send a repeat specimen


The guidance was updated in July 2010 following the Griffin Report into the investigation of an outbreak of Escherichia coli O157.

Published 21 February 2008
Last updated 5 March 2015 + show all updates
  1. This guidance has undergone a complete review and is based on the best evidence at November 2014. Although the next full review will not take place until November 2017 interim updates will be posted as new information becomes available.

  2. Latest review February 2014, updated stool guidance May 2014.

  3. First published.