Home > Dysentery
 | | | |
Learn more about "Dysentery"
|
|
|
Dysentery
Dysentery (formerly known as '''flux''' or the '''bloody flux''') is an infection of the digestive system that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and blood in the feces. Dysentery is typically the result of unsanitary water containing micro-organisms which damage the intestines|intestinal lining. There are two major types of dysentery due to micro-organisms: '''amoebic dysentery''', and '''bacillary dysentery''' mainly due to one of three bacteria. Dysentery can also be caused by certain medications; for example, some steroids can affect bowel movements. Amoebic dysentery
Amoebic dysentery (or '''amebic dysentery''') is caused by the amoeba ''Entamoeba histolytica''.
Amoebic dysentery is transmitted through contaminated food and water. Amoebae spread by forming infective cysts which can be found in stools and spread if whoever touches them does not sanitize their hands. There are also free amoebae, or ''trophozoites'', that do not form cysts.
Amoebic dysentery is well known as a "traveler's dysentery" because of its prevalence in developing nations, or "Montezuma's Revenge (medicine)|Montezuma's Revenge" although it is occasionally seen in industrialized countries. Liver infection, and subsequent amoebic abscesses can occur. Bleeding in stools may occur.
Bacillary dysentery
Bacillary dysentery is most commonly associated with three bacterial groups:
- Shigellosis is caused by one of several types of ''Shigella'' bacterium|bacteria.
- Campylobacteriosis caused by any of the dozen species of ''Campylobacter'' that cause human disease
- Salmonellosis caused by ''Salmonella enterica'' (serovar ''Typhimurium'').
Symptoms and complications
Symptoms include frequent passage of faeces/stool and, in some cases, associated vomiting. Variations depending on parasites can be frequent urge with high or low volume of stool, with or without some associated mucus and even blood. Once recovery starts, early refeeding is advocated avoiding foods containing lactose due to temporary persist for years lactose intolerance. Treatment
Initial management of dysentery is to maintain fluid intake using oral rehydration therapy. If this can not be adequately maintained, either through nausea and vomiting or the profuseness of the diarrhea, then hospital admission may be required for intravenous fluid replacement. Ideally no antimicrobial therapy is started until microbiological microscopy and culture studies have established the specific infection involved. Where laboratory services are lacking, it may be required to initiate a combination of drugs including an amoebicidal drug to kill the parasite and an antibiotic to treat any associated bacterial infection. There are several ''Shigella'' vaccine candidates in various stages of development that could reduce the incidence of dysentery in endemic countries, as well as in travelers suffering from traveler's diarrhea. See also
- Gastroenteritis
- ''Shigella''
References
Category:Infectious diseases
Category:Water-borne diseases
Category:Conditions diagnosed by stool test
zh-min-nan:Lī-chi̍t
simple:Dysentery
Related Images
Sources: StartLearningNow, Wikipedia | Usage license: GNU FDL
 |
Welcome to Start Learning Now.
Explore to your heart's content, and we hope you enjoy reading the material we
have assembled for you here! |
 |
| | | | |
Related News
|
|
Further Resources
|
|
Related Resources
search
|
|
