dysentery

dysentery
n.
an infection of the intestinal tract causing severe diarrhoea with blood and mucus. Amoebic dysentery (amoebiasis) is caused by the protozoan Entamoeba histolytica and results in ulceration of the intestines and occasionally in the formation of abscesses in the liver (amoebic or tropical abscesses), lungs, testes, or brain. The parasite is spread by food or water contaminated by infected faeces. Symptoms appear days or even years after infection and include diarrhoea, indigestion, loss of weight, and anaemia. Prolonged treatment with drugs, including metronidazole, is usually effective in treating the condition. Amoebic dysentery is mainly confined to tropical and subtropical countries.
Bacillary dysentery is caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella and is spread by contact with a patient or carrier or through food or water contaminated by their faeces. Epidemics are common in overcrowded insanitary conditions. Symptoms, which develop 1–6 days after infection, include diarrhoea, nausea, cramp, and fever and they persist for about a week. An attack may vary from mild diarrhoea to an acute infection causing serious dehydration and bleeding from the gut. In most cases, provided fluid losses are replaced, recovery occurs within 7–10 days; antibiotics may be given to eliminate the bacteria.
Compare: cholera

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  • Dysentery — ICD 10 A03.9, A06.0, A07.9 ICD 9 004 …   Wikipedia

  • Dysentery — Dys en*ter*y, n. [L. dysenteria, Gr. ?; dys ill, bad + ?, pl. ?, intestines, fr. ento s within, fr. ? in, akin to E. in: cf. F. dysenterie. See {Dys}, and {In}.] (Med.) A disease attended with inflammation and ulceration of the colon and rectum,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dysentery — late 14c., dissenterie, from O.Fr. disentere (13c.), from L. dysenteria, from Gk. dysenteria, coined by Hippocrates, from dys bad, abnormal, difficult (see DYS (Cf. dys )) + entera intestines, bowels (see INTER (Cf. inter )). Related: Dysenteric …   Etymology dictionary

  • dysentery — is pronounced in BrE as three syllables, and in AmE as four syllables, with stress on the first in both cases …   Modern English usage

  • dysentery — ► NOUN ▪ a disease in which the intestines are infected, resulting in severe diarrhoea with blood and mucus in the faeces. ORIGIN Greek dusenteria, from dusenteros afflicted in the bowels …   English terms dictionary

  • dysentery — [dis′ən ter΄ē] n. [ME dissenterie < OFr < L dysenteria < Gr < dys , DYS + enteron, pl. entera, bowels: see INTER ] any of various intestinal inflammations characterized by abdominal pain and frequent and intense diarrhea with bloody,… …   English World dictionary

  • dysentery — dysenteric, adj. /dis euhn ter ee/, n. 1. Pathol. an infectious disease marked by inflammation and ulceration of the lower part of the bowels, with diarrhea that becomes mucous and hemorrhagic. 2. diarrhea. [1350 1400; < ML dysenteria < Gk, equiv …   Universalium

  • dysentery — n. 1) to come down with dysentery 2) an attack of dysentery 3) amebic dysentery * * * amebic dysentery an attack of dysentery to come down withdysentery …   Combinatory dictionary

  • Dysentery — Inflammation of the intestine, often with pain, diarrhea, bloody stools, etc. It is usually caused by infestation of the bowel by an ameba. Dysentery can be fatal, usually due to severe dehydration. Treatment includes rapid rehydration, sometimes …   Medical dictionary

  • dysentery — Synonyms and related words: African lethargy, Asiatic cholera, BM, Chagres fever, German measles, Haverhill fever, abscess, acute articular rheumatism, ague, alkali disease, amebiasis, amebic dysentery, anemia, ankylosis, anoxia, anthrax, apnea,… …   Moby Thesaurus

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