Cost of Treating Travelers' Diarrhea

Excerpt

To the Editors: In their recent review of the treatment of travelers' diarrhea, Taylor and colleagues (1), did not address the issue of cost. The treatment of travelers to countries having a high prevalence of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli is warranted. As mentioned in their article and previously reported (2), several effective regimens are available. Comparing the prices of the medications may be important when two regimens are similarly effective. The prices (in dollars) in Mexico City are: ciprofloxacin, 500 mg, $26; trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, $2; and loperamide (Imodium) and diphenoxylate (Lomotil), $1 to $2.