What is Dysentery?
Dysentery is an intestinal infection that can Cause Severe Diarrhea and is Caused by Bacteria or Amoeba (amoebae). The early symptoms of both are the same, and the cause must be found before treatment can be decided. It’s caused by amoeba is more serious and can also cause abscesses in the liver and lungs. If it is mild bacillary dysentery, it can be cured within four to eight days by just resting and eating more fluids.
If the condition is severe, it may take several weeks for the diarrhea to stop and the pathogenic bacteria to be no longer present in the stool. But in case of amoebic dysentery, treatment is required for at least ten days. There is a chance of recurrence of the disease, so patients must undergo long-term treatment and frequent examinations to ensure complete recovery.
What are the symptoms of dysentery?
- The bowel movements are very dense and may occur up to twenty times a day in children.
- Watery diarrhea, often with blood, pus, or mucus in the stool.
- Abdominal cramps and frequent urge to defecate.
- Vomit .
- Intestinal gas.
- The abdomen is swollen and painful when touched.
- Pediatric patients may experience high fever , irritability, and decreased appetite.
What is the main cause of dysentery?
- Unhygienic environment and eating food with germs.
- Amoebic dysentery can be spread through drinking water.
home care
- Switch to liquids and stop eating solid foods.
- If the condition is not serious, you can take antidiarrheal medicines available on the market.
- You must see a doctor if your symptoms are severe, persist or worsen rapidly; you are in or have been to an area where amoebic dysentery is endemic; or you have blood, pus or mucus in your stool, especially after traveling or coming into contact with someone with it.
What is the Best treatment for dysentery?
- The doctor will examine the patient’s stool to find out the source of the disease and arrange for the patient to receive specialist treatment.
- If you suffer from amoebic dys, your doctor will prescribe anti-amoebic drugs; if the condition is severe, antibiotics may also be used to treat it.
- The patient must be seen again to cure the dysentery. Patients with bacillary dysentery can be said to be cured if Shigella is not found in their stool for three consecutive days. However, in the case of amoebic dysentery, the patient may need to be monitored by a doctor for six months.
What are Prevention?
If you need to come into contact with people with dysent ery, or live in an area where amoebic dysen-tery is endemic, your food and drinking water must be boiled to destroy the bacteria.
