Should I take the antibiotic I was given for travel?

Not blindly. Some pathogens should not receive antibiotics at all — STEC is the sharpest example.

How long is too long?

More than a week after returning warrants testing rather than waiting.

What if I feel fine now?

Then you probably do not need a test. Persistent symptoms are the trigger.

Diarrhea After Travel That Will Not Stop: What to Test

Medically reviewed by our MD Laboratory Director (a role required by CLIA; the director's name is on file in the CMS CLIA database, #45D2048957, and can be verified independently) · Editorial policy

Molecular fluorescence imaging — Auspicious Laboratory, Houston

If it lasted more than a week after you got home, think parasite.CLIA #45D2048957 · CAP #8722734 · Same-day results · Walk-ins welcome

Most traveler's diarrhea is bacterial, self-limited, and gone within days. The cases that persist past a week or two are frequently parasitic — Giardia above all — and a stool culture will never find it. A molecular panel covering bacteria, viruses and parasites answers the question the same day.

Not sure what you need? Text us and we will set it up.
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808

3707 Westcenter Dr Suite 100, Houston, TX 77042 · Walk-ins welcome

Timeline as a diagnostic clue

Duration	Most likely	Action
1–3 days, watery	Bacterial or viral, self-limited	Hydration; test if severe or you are high-risk
> 1 week	Parasite becomes much more likely	Molecular panel including Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba
Bloody, febrile	Invasive bacteria or amebiasis	Urgent clinical care
Weeks to months, bloating and weight loss	Giardia; consider malabsorption	Test, then a physician

Go to an emergency department, not a lab, if you have: bloody diarrhea with fever, severe abdominal pain, signs of dehydration, a rigid abdomen, or you are an infant, elderly, pregnant or immunocompromised and deteriorating.

We name drugs, never doses. Treatment statements follow ACG, AGA, IDSA and CDC guidance; dose and duration are a physician's decision.

Same day, start to finish. Sample by 1:00 PM → results at 4:30 PM → if treatment is clinically appropriate, a licensed physician in our partner network sees you between 4:30 and 6:00 PM, a few minutes away. That window is reserved for patients tested here, and your slot is held the moment we take your sample — the slot is held, not hunted. On your own, a same-day appointment is nearly impossible; at an urgent care, you wait in the queue. STAT: ~2 hours, sample in by 3:00 PM.

FAQ

Should I take the antibiotic I was given for travel?: Not blindly. Some pathogens should not receive antibiotics at all — STEC is the sharpest example.
How long is too long?: More than a week after returning warrants testing rather than waiting.
What if I feel fine now?: Then you probably do not need a test. Persistent symptoms are the trigger.
How fast is the result?: Same day at 4:30 PM.

Not sure what you need? Text us and we will set it up.
📱 Text (713) 832-8892 📞 Call (713) 266-0808

3707 Westcenter Dr Suite 100, Houston, TX 77042 · Walk-ins welcome

References

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