UPDATE 1-Salix posts narrower-than-expected Q3 loss

* Q3 loss/shr $0.15 vs yr-ago loss $0.11/shr

* Revenue rises 53 pct to $65.7 mln

* Sees Q4 loss/shr $0.14, rev $68 mln

Nov 9 (Reuters) - Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (SLXP.O) posted a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss as revenue from its traveller's diarrhoea drug Xifaxan doubled, but forecast fourth-quarter loss wider than market estimates.

For the third quarter, Salix, which focuses on treating gastrointestinal diseases, reported a net loss of $7.3 million, or 15 cents a share, compared with a loss of $5.4 million, or 11 cents, a year ago.

Revenue rose 53 percent to $65.7 million. Xifaxan sales stood at $42.7 million.

Analysts on average expected the company to post a loss of 29 cents a share, excluding special items, on revenue of $60.4 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

The company forecast a fourth-quarter loss of 14 cents a share, on sales of $68 million.

Analysts were expecting a loss 3 cents a share, on revenue of $72.3 million.

Shares of the company closed at $21.14 Monday on Nasdaq.

For the alerts, double-click [ID:nWNAB3199] (Reporting by Anand Basu in Bangalore; Editing by Deepak Kannan)