diarrhea

Examples of diarrhea in the following topics:

• Amoebic Dysentery (Amoebiasis)

  • Amoebic dysentery is caused by the parasite Entamoeba histolytica and infected individuals suffer from severe diarrhea, cramps, and fever.
  • Dysentery is characterized as an inflammatory disorder of the intestine that results in severe diarrhea containing both mucus and blood in the feces, often accompanied with fever and abdominal pain.
  • Symptoms of individuals infected with Entamoeba histolytica include ulcers, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, bloody stools, liquid stools, fever and vomiting.

• Elimination

  • Diarrhea and constipation are some of the most common health concerns that affect digestion.
  • In contrast, if not enough water is removed from the feces, it results in diarrhea.
  • Many bacteria, including the ones that cause cholera, affect the proteins involved in water reabsorption in the colon and result in excessive diarrhea.

• Cyclospora Diarrheal Infection

  • Cyclospora diarrheal infection is commonly referred to as traveler's diarrhea and is caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis.
  • Cyclospora diarrheal infection, commonly referred to as travelers diarrhea or cyclosporiasis, is caused by a specific species of Cyclospora.
  • Individuals exposed to these pathogens in these of regions are at high risk for developing cyclosporiasis, hence, the origin of the commonly known name, traveler's diarrhea.

• Cholera

  • The diarrhea is frequently described as "rice water" in nature and may have a fishy odor.
  • The primary symptoms of cholera are profuse, painless diarrhea and vomiting of clear fluid.
  • The diarrhea is frequently described as "rice water" in nature and may have a fishy odor.
  • If the severe diarrhea is not treated with intravenous rehydration, it can result in life-threatening dehydration and electrolyte imbalances .
  • The V. cholerae start producing the toxic proteins that give the infected person a watery diarrhea.

• Bacterial Gastroenteritis

  • Gastroenteritis typically involves both diarrhea and vomiting, or less commonly, presents with only one or the other.
  • Toxigenic Clostridium difficile is an important cause of diarrhea that occurs more often in the elderly.
  • It is a common cause of diarrhea in those who are hospitalized and is frequently associated with antibiotic use.
  • Staphylococcus aureus infectious diarrhea may also occur in those who have used antibiotics.
  • "Traveler's diarrhea" is usually a type of bacterial gastroenteritis.

• Salmonellosis

  • Salmonellosis is an infection by the Salmonella bacteria that results in diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.
  • Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection.
  • However, in some cases the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient becomes dangerously dehydrated and must be taken to a hospital.
  • Symptoms are usually gastrointestinal, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and bloody diarrhea with mucus.
  • Endotoxins first act on affected organs' vascular and nervous systems, manifested by: increased permeability and decreased tone of the vessels, upset thermal regulation, vomiting, and diarrhea.

• Viral Gastroenteritis

  • Gastroenteritis is a medical condition characterized by inflammation ("-itis") of the gastrointestinal tract that involves both the stomach ("gastro"-) and the small intestine ("entero"-), resulting in some combination of diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and cramping.
  • Viruses cause about 70% of episodes of infectious diarrhea in the pediatric age group.
  • People may remain infectious even after their diarrhea has ended.

• Malabsorption of Nutrients

  • Infective agents that may cause malabsorption include: Whipple's disease , intestinal tuberculosis, HIV-related malabsorption, tropical sprue, traveler's diarrhea, and parasites (e.g.
  • Diarrhea (watery, diurnal and nocturnal, bulky, frequent stools) is the clinical hallmark of overt malabsorption.
  • Microscopic analysis of stool samples, particularly useful with diarrhea, may show protozoa like Giardia, ova of hookworm, cysts, and other infective agents.
  • Cholestyramine or other bile acid sequestrants help reduce diarrhea in bile acid malabsorption.

• Lactose Intolerance

  • In most cases, this causes symptoms such as abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, nausea, borborygmi (rumbling stomach), and/or vomiting after consuming significant amounts of lactose.
  • Secondary, acquired, or transient lactase deficiency is caused by an injury to the small intestine, usually during infancy, from acute gastroenteritis, diarrhea, chemotherapy, intestinal parasites, or other environmental causes.
  • The unabsorbed sugars and fermentation products also raise the osmotic pressure of the colon, resulting in an increased flow of water into the bowels (diarrhea).
  • Substantial variability in response (symptoms of nausea, cramping, bloating, diarrhea, and flatulence) is to be expected, as the extent and severity of lactose intolerance varies among individuals.

• Adrenal Gland Disorders

  • If not treated, adrenal insufficiency may result in severe abdominal pains, diarrhea, vomiting, profound muscle weakness and fatigue, depression, extremely low blood pressure (hypotension), weight loss, kidney failure, changes in mood and personality, and shock (adrenal crisis).
  • Symptoms may also include weakness, tiredness, dizziness, low blood pressure that falls further when standing (orthostatic hypotension), cardiovascular collapse, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.