Dysentery: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Are you experiencing abdominal pain, nausea, fever, and stools that are bleeding and runny? Be careful, you might get dysentery. So, what is dysentery? What are the symptoms of dysentery? What are the causes of dysentery? What are the complications of dysentery? What medicines for dysentery should be taken?

What Is Dysentery?

Dysentery is a condition in which the intestine experiences inflammation which then causes diarrhea. When you experience dysentery, the frequency of defecation (BAB) will be more frequent, followed by a number of other symptoms such as sore stomach and bloody stool.
Unhygienic surrounding conditions, consumption of contaminated food, and lazy habits of washing hands after toilet is the trigger factors for the body's attack by dysentery. In addition, physical contact with dysentery sufferers also contributes to the spread of this disease.

Causes of dysentery

The cause of dysentery is divided into 2, which is based on microorganisms that infect it, whether bacteria or amoeba. Here is the explanation.

1. Dysentery Due to Bacterial Infection ( Baccilary Dysentery or Shigellosis )

The first cause of dysentery is intestinal infection by bacteria. The bacteria that cause dysentery itself consist of:

Shigella
Campylobacter
Coli
Salmonella

higella becomes the bacteria that most often infects the intestine causing dysentery. These bacteria are usually found in feces of people who are infected and can spread through a number of ways, such as hands that are not washed clean after bowel movements, and consume contaminated food or drinks.

Unfortunately, physical contact can cause you to get dysentery, even if you routinely wash your hands and eat foods that are guaranteed hygiene. Therefore, it is very important for all of us to always maintain personal hygiene and the environment to prevent the spread of dysentery bacteria.

2. Dysentery Due to Amoeba Infection ( Amoebiasis )

Besides bacteria, the cause of dysentery can also be caused by an amoeba infection called entamoeba histolytica. Just like dysentery due to bacteria, dysentery due to amoeba is also due to unhygienic environmental conditions, physical contact with people affected by dysentery, and consumption of contaminated food or beverages.

Characteristics and Symptoms of Dysentery

Because dysentery is related to the digestive system, specifically the intestine, the symptoms that appear around the abdominal area. Generally, dysentery symptoms include:

Fever
Abdominal pain or cramps
Stomach feels nauseous
Defecate many times a day
Stool bleeding and slimy

Dysentery will appear around 1 to 2 days after intestinal infection with bacteria. Dysentery knows no age, but children and the elderly are more susceptible to bacterial infections that cause dysentery and usually have to be hospitalized to cure the disease.
If you experience one or more of the symptoms of dysentery, immediately consult a doctor for further medical treatment.

Complications of dysentery

If not treated immediately, it is not impossible that dysentery will cause serious health complications that endanger you.

1. Blood Flow Infection (Septicemia)

Blood flow infection (septicemia) is a condition in which bacteria get into the bloodstream. Even though it is rare, you still need to be aware of the possibility of septicemia.
Examples of diseases that have the potential to cause septicemia include HIV / AIDS, cancer, or those who are undergoing chemotherapy.

2. Herolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)

Herolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) is a condition when an infection that attacks the digestive system produces poisons which then damage red blood cells. This HUS is classified as a serious illness so that when you are diagnosed with HUS, special medical treatment is absolutely necessary to immediately prevent the condition from getting worse.

3. Arthritis

Complications of dysentery in the form of arthritis (arthritis) contribute to about 2 percent of the total complications of dysentery that may occur. Arthritis occurs when the infecting bacteria is the shigella bacteria type shigella flexneri .
When you have arthritis, you will experience a number of symptoms, such as:

Joint pain
Eye irritation
Urination hurts

Complications of dysentery in this one can last for weeks or even months. Therefore, when you suffer from dysentery, get medical attention immediately before getting worse.

4. Liver abscess

Dysentery caused by amoeba infection (amoebiasis) can also cause dysnetri complications in the form of liver abscess, although it is rare. If it continues to be left, the infection can spread to the lungs even to the brain.

5. Seizures

In children, complications of dysentery that are common are convulsions. There is no strong medical explanation regarding this one complication of dysentery. Seizures are not dangerous because they usually disappear within a few days without the need for medication. But if the seizures never subside, immediately consult a doctor for further treatment.

Diagnosis of dysentery

When you feel the symptoms of dysentery, immediately visit a doctor for an examination. The doctor will perform a number of examination procedures to ensure that there is an indication of dysentery in your body.

1. History

The doctor will ask you several questions to get the initial conclusion (hypothesis). Usually begins with complaints that you experience, disease history, lifestyle, to consumption of food or drinks daily.

2. Physical Examination

The next diagnostic procedure is to do a physical examination. The doctor will examine the abdominal area, up to your weight. After that, chances are the doctor will prescribe medication, or do the next procedure to ensure again the exact cause of your dysentery.

3. Supporting Examination

In some cases of chronic dysentery, the doctor will carry out a series of supporting procedures, namely:

Laboratory examination

The doctor will take your stool sample. After that, the doctor will check whether inside your faeces there are bacteria or amoeba causing the dysentery.

Ultrasound

Meanwhile, if dysentery has caused complications in the form of a liver abscess, the doctor will take a patient's blood sample, or check the ultrasound in the abdominal area to see the condition of the liver (liver) that has an abscess due to dysentery.

Colonoscopy

A colonoscopy is a medical examination procedure by inserting the camera into the body through the anal canal to see the condition of the intestine. Before applying a colonoscopy procedure, your doctor will ask you to go on a short diet for a few days in advance, also give laxatives and sedatives.

Treatment of dysentery

How to treat dysentery varies, depending on how severe dysentery is experienced. Typically, doctors will prescribe medication to treat dysentery. Here are some examples of dysentery drugs that can be consumed.

1. Antibiotics

Antibiotics are the most effective medicine for dysentery. This drug is responsible for eradicating bacteria and amoeba causing dysentery. Examples of antibiotics to eliminate dysentery are:

Ciprofloxacin
Ceftriaxone
Ampicillin
Metronidazole
Tinidazole

2. ORS

In addition to antibiotics, ORS solutions are effective drugs to treat diarrhea caused by dysentery. ORS can be found at the pharmacy, or made by dissolving sugar and salt in water. Remember, ask your doctor first to get the ideal dose of ORS.
Prevention of dysentery
In fact, dysentery can be prevented by applying the following:

Enough rest
Avoid spicy foods
Drink enough water
Maintain cleanliness of the body, especially the hands and drainage (excretion)
Keep the environment clean
Eating foods that have been tested for hygiene

That's the information about dysentery. Applying a healthy life and caring about cleanliness is the main key to avoiding yourself and your family from dysentery. So, always keep yourself and your environment clean, huh. May be useful!

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