Dysentery Causes & Symptoms

Dysentery is the medical term for infectious bloody diarrhea. This condition is more common in developing nations that have poor sanitation. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.

Amoebic Dysentery

• Amoebic dysentery is caused by the parasite Entamoeba histolytica. Amoebic dysentery is less deadly than the bacterial type and tends to be isolated to individuals.

Bacillary Dysentery

• Bacillary dysentery is caused by bacteria, including salmonella and shigella. Bacillary dysentery is much more dangerous than the amoebic variation because of its ability to spread through entire populations.

Contraction

• People get dysentery by drinking water contaminated by human feces. Fruit and vegetables washed or grown with contaminated water also can cause infection.

Symptoms

• Besides bloody diarrhea, people with dysentery also suffer from abdominal pain, chills, fever and weight loss. People will bacillary dysentery will also have mucus mixed in with stool.

Treatment

• It is important to rehydrate people with dysentery since the loss of fluids via bloody diarrhea can be extreme. For bacterial dysentery, antibiotics are often used. Amoebic dysentery is treated with antimicrobial drugs such as Flagyl, often used in combination with another drug such as diloxanide furoate to kill off the parasite.