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Dysentery

 Dysentery




Overview

Dysentery is a gastrointestinal disease. It causes severe diarrhea that contains blood or mucus. There are two main types of dysentery:

Amoebic dysentery (amoebiasis): The parasite Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica) is one of the main causes of amoebic dysentery. Other parasites that cause amoebic dysentery include Balantidium coli (B. coli) and strongyloidiasis.

Bacillary dysentery: A bacterial infection causes bacillary dysentery. Some of the most common bacteria that cause bacillary dysentery include Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Bacillary dysentery is the most common type of dysentery.

Without proper treatment, dysentery can be fatal. If you have any symptoms of dysentery, reach out to your healthcare provider.

Symptoms and Causes

What are the symptoms of dysentery?

Dysentery symptoms vary slightly according to what type of dysentery you have.

Amoebic dysentery

Most people who have amoebic dysentery don’t have any symptoms.

Mild symptoms of amoebic dysentery may include:

Diarrhea.

High fever.

Nausea and vomiting.

Weight loss.

Upset stomach.

In rare cases, the parasite may move to other areas of your body and cause an abscess.

Bacillary dysentery

Symptoms of bacillary dysentery may include:

Diarrhea containing blood or mucus.

High fever.

Nausea and vomiting.

Painful stomach cramps (abdominal pain).

If you have severe dysentery, complications may include extreme inflammation, widening (dilation) of your large intestine and acute kidney disease.

Does dysentery cause death?

Without proper treatment, dysentery may be fatal. It’s especially deadly to:

Young children.

People 50 years of age and older.

People who have dehydration or malnutrition.

What are the causes of dysentery?

The parasitic and bacterial infections that cause dysentery are very contagious. People usually transfer the parasite or bacteria to each other when poop (fecal matter) from an infected person gets into another person’s mouth. Transmission can occur during:

Food preparation by someone who doesn’t wash their hands or has poor hygiene.

Drinking contaminated water.

Sexual contact, especially involving the anus.

Bacillary dysentery occurs when foreign bacteria enter your body and the infection becomes severe. Some of the most common bacteria that cause bacillary dysentery include:

Shigella, which leads to shigellosis.

Salmonella, which causes salmonella.

Campylobacter, which causes campylobacteriosis.

Escherichia coli, which leads to E. coli infection.

Amoebiasis occurs when a particular parasite enters your body.

Is dysentery contagious?

Yes, dysentery is very contagious. Amoebic dysentery usually spreads from contaminated food or water. It can also spread through oral-anal sexual contact.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is dysentery diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will diagnose dysentery. They’ll ask about your symptoms, conduct a physical exam and order tests.

What tests will be done to diagnose dysentery?

If your healthcare provider suspects you have dysentery, they’ll order a stool culture.

To conduct a stool culture, your healthcare provider will give you a special container and a disposable spoon. The next time you have to poop, you’ll place plastic wrap or newspaper across the rim of your toilet to collect your poop. You can also poop into a different container. You’ll then use the disposable spoon to collect a small sample, put it in the special container and return it to your healthcare provider.

Your healthcare provider will send your sample to a lab. There, lab workers will test your sample for the presence of bacteria, parasites or ova (parasite egg cells).

You may have to provide samples of your poop over several days.

Your healthcare provider may also recommend a sigmoidoscopy. A sigmoidoscopy can help your healthcare provider confirm the diagnosis or rule out other causes of your symptoms. During a sigmoidoscopy, your healthcare provider will use a special scope to examine the inside of your lower (sigmoid) colon and rectum.

Management and Treatment

What is the fastest way to cure dysentery?

If you have amebiasis, it’s important to rid your body of the parasite. Your healthcare provider will prescribe metronidazole (Flagyl®). This medication treats parasitic infections. Your healthcare provider may also prescribe antibiotics and recommend over-the-counter (OTC) medications to treat nausea, including bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol®).

If you have bacillary dysentery, most people feel better without treatment in a few days to a week. If you require medical attention, treatment may include antibiotics and IV fluids. In rare cases, you may need a blood transfusion.

Type of Doctor Department : A                                                                                                gastroenterologist

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