Dysentery, << DIHS uhn `tehr` ee, >> is a disease involving inflammation of the lining of the large intestine. The inflammation, which is caused by microscopic organisms, produces abdominal pain and diarrhea. The bowel movements may contain mucus and blood. Some cases of dysentery include fever or vomiting.
Diarrhea causes people with dysentery to lose fluids and salts necessary to their bodies. The disease can be fatal if the body becomes dehydrated. Dysentery strikes people of all ages throughout the world, but some forms occur more frequently in tropical countries. It can be particularly dangerous to infants, the elderly, and people in weak physical condition.
Dysentery is caused by several types of microorganisms, including salmonella bacteria, shigella bacteria, and one-celled organisms called amebas. Shigella and amebas cause most dysentery. Shigella produce shigellosis, also called bacillary dysentery. Shigellosis begins suddenly and involves high fever and severe diarrhea. If untreated, the disease may disappear in a few weeks. But some cases result in fatal dehydration.
Amebas cause amebic dysentery, which begins gradually and rarely produces high fever. It can cause diarrhea for years, however, and may produce ulcers (open sores) in the large intestine. Later, the infection may spread to the liver. Amebic dysentery seldom is fatal.
The organisms that cause dysentery are transmitted through the feces (solid body wastes) of infected individuals. Some people, known as carriers, spread the disease but have no symptoms of it.
The bacteria and amebas enter the body through the mouth, in most cases in food or water. Flies and unwashed hands can transfer feces to food. Fruits and vegetables must be thoroughly washed if they have been treated with fertilizer containing human feces.
Epidemics of dysentery have occurred where people live in overcrowded conditions and have poor sanitation. In the past, the disease was common in hospitals, prisons, and army camps. During some wars, more soldiers died from dysentery than in battle. Improved sanitation during the 1900’s has greatly reduced the number of cases of dysentery. However, epidemics of the disease still occur in developing countries. Treatment includes replacing fluids and body salts that the patient has lost. Physicians also use certain antibiotics to speed recovery from dysentery.
