Dysentery (formerly known as flux or the bloody flux) is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhoea containing mucus and/or blood in the feces. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.
Symptoms of dysentery include frequent passage of feces and, in some cases, vomiting of blood. The frequency of urges to defecate, the volume of feces passed, and the presence of mucus and/or blood depends...
more
Dysentery (formerly known as flux or the bloody flux) is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhoea containing mucus and/or blood in the feces. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.
Symptoms of dysentery include frequent passage of feces and, in some cases, vomiting of blood. The frequency of urges to defecate, the volume of feces passed, and the presence of mucus and/or blood depends on the parasite that is causing the disease. Once recovery starts, early refeeding is advocated, avoiding foods containing lactose due to temporary lactose intolerance, which can persist for years.
Dysentery is usually caused by a bacterial or protozoan infection or infestation of parasitic worms, but can also be caused by a chemical irritant or viral infection. The two most common causes are infection with a bacillus of the Shigella group, and infestation by an amoeba, Entamoeba histolytica. When caused by a bacillus it is called bacillary...
less
