Causes, Symptoms and Signs of Diarrhoea and Dysentery

Causes of Diarrhoea and Dysentery

Diarrhoea may be caused by a temporary problem like an infection, or a chronic problem like an intestinal disease. A few of the common causes of diarrhoea are : 

Viral infection : Many viruses cause diarrhoea, including rotavirus, Norwalk virus, cytomegalo virus, herpes simplex virus, and viral Hepatitis virus. 
Bacterial infections : Several types of bacteria, consumed through contaminated food or water, can cause diarrhoea. Common culprits include Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, and Escherichia coli. 
Food intolerances : Inability to digest some component of food, such as lactose, the sugar found in milk. 
Parasites : Parasites can enter the body through food or water and settle in the digestive system. Parasites that cause diarrhoea include Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, and Cryptosporidium.
Reaction to medicines : Antibiotics, blood pressure medications, and antacids containing magnesium are known to cause diarrhoea in some. 
Intestinal diseases : Diseases like inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease can also lead to diarrhoea. 
Functional bowel disorders : Irritable bowel syndrome, in which the intestines do not work normally, can result in diarrhoea. 

Bacteria and viruses that can cause diarrhoea have an incubation period of a few hours up to 2-3 days. Protozoa such as Giardia and E. histolytica have an incubation period of 7-14 days. Food poisoning generally occurs within2-8 hours after eating the toxin. 

Bacterial diarrhoeas invariably have an abrupt onset. That means the patient can tell the exact time of the day that he/she began to fee l ill. Often, the illness begins in the middle of the night, or early morning. The patient suffers sudden cramps and feels the urge to defecate, and the result is a very liquid stool. As soon as he gets back to bed, he has to run again. Bacterial diarrhoea can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and fever, but the diarrhoea can occur all by itself. 

With Giardia, the day starts with a couple of loose bowel motions and the rest of the day the bowels are normal. In the evening there may be one or two more loose stools. The night is peaceful. The cycles repeat the next day. After a few days, there will be a grumbly feeling in the intestines, increased gas, and a growing sense of fatigue. 

Amoebic diarrhoea presents as a chronic, low-grade diarrhoea that alternates every 1-3 days. The patient experiences diarrhoea for a day or so, then no diarrhoea the next day, and then diarrhoea again. Gradually he/she experiences weight loss and fatigue, and comes to the doctor after being sick for a month or more. Amoebic dysentery is a severe form of amoebic infection that causes severe crampy diarrhoea with multiple small bowel movements, often with blood. 

Some people develop diarrhoea after stomach surgery or removal of the gall bladder. The reason may be a change in how quickly food moves through the digestive system after stomach surgery or an increase in bile in the colon that can occur after gall bladder surgery. 

Diarrhoea can be either acute(short term) or chronic(long term). The acute form, which lasts less than four weeks, is usually related to a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection. Chronic diarrhoea lasts more than four weeks and is usually related to functional disorders like IBS or inflammatory bowel diseases. 

Symptoms and Signs of Diarrhoea and Dysentery

Diarrhoea may be accompanied by cramping abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, or an urgent need to defecate. Depending on the cause, a person may have fever or blood stools. Prolonged diarrhoea leads to dehydration. The signs of dehydration include.

1 Thirst
2 Less frequent urination
3 Dry skin
4 Fatigue 
5 Light-headedness
6 Dark-coloured urine

Introduction to Diarrhoea and Dysentery
Causes, Symptoms and Signs of Diarrhoea and Dysentery
Diagnosis of Diarrhoea and Dysentery
Preventing Dehydration for Diarrhoea and Dysentery