Which place for bismuth subsalicylate in the treatment of enteric infections?

ORS has led to improved outcome of acute gastroenteritis in both industrial ised and developing countries. In both settings there is an increasing dema nd for active therapy to reduce the duration of diarrhoea and its complicat ions. Persistent diarrhoea is a major consequence of intestinal infections and is responsible for a high number of deaths in poor countries. Bismuth s ubsalicylate has been used for treatment of acute diarrhoea, with prelimina ry promising results, In this issue of Acta Paediatrica, a trial with BSS i s essential. However the results were marginal and did not justify a mass s cale use of BSS, also because of poor cost efficacy rate.