Causes of Dysentery, Amebic & Bacillary Dysentery Bloody Diarrhea Symptoms, Dysentery Treatment

Dysentery means you’re experiencing intestinal inflammation coupled with frequent stool passage of watery diarrhea, which may be bloody. Two other classic symptoms include abdominal pain and cramps.

Dysentery can be caused by an infectious disease or chemical irritation. Causes for intestinal infection dysentery is a virus, bacteria, protozoa or parasite.

Amebic and bacillary dysentery are the two most common types for causing intestinal inflammation marked by bloody diarrhea symptoms.

Amoebic dysentery, aka intestinal amebiasis or amebic colitis, is caused by Entamoeba histolytica protozoa. Amebic dysentery symptoms encompass:

Once infected, you’ll likely not experience these symptoms for several weeks.

Your amebic dysentery symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Without treatment, the protozoa can still be around with the possibility of causing a recurrence of infection symptoms or passing your infection on to others via contaminated fecal matter.

Amebic dysentery can spread and cause an abscess elsewhere in your body, typically to the liver. Symptoms of amebic dysentery caused liver abscess are:

Amoebic dysentery is rare and this infection occurs most often in tropical areas of Africa, South America, India and Southeast Asia.

Bacillary dysentery, aka shigellosis, is caused by Shigella bacteria. This is the most prevalent type of dysentery and its symptoms come into play one to three days after your infection.

Mild stomach pain and diarrhea are bacillary dysentery’s most common symptoms, Generally, lasting under a week. However, if you experience a severe case, your symptoms might include:

  • fever
  • nausea & vomiting
  • severe abdominal pain
  • bloody, watery diarrhea

The most severe symptoms of bacillary infections are mainly found in those living in tropical and subtropical regions. Bacillary dysentery may cause bacteremia and hemolytic uremic syndrome, which are both potentially fatal complications.

Some other intestinal infections that cause dysentery are:

Viral dysentery typically has a rapid onset, like in a matter of hours.

Main dysentery treatment is taking drugs, which varies based on what is causing your bloody, or not, diarrhea:

  • bacillary dysentery is treated with anitbiotics
  • dysentery caused by parasites treated with anthelminthic medications
  • viral dysentery is treated with antinausea & antidiarrhea medications, probiotics may help reduce duration & severity
  • amebic dysentery & other protozoa causing dysentery is commonly treated with diloxanide furoate, iodoquinol, metronidazole

Dehydration often accompanies dysentery, so fluid replacement is frequently part of its treatment protocol. Rehydration fluids containing electrolytes, such as Pedialyte, is advised. Dysentery can be fatal as a result of severe dehydration.

Surgery may be required if fulminant colitis or a liver abscess develops from amebic or bacillary dysentery. Sometimes, exploratory surgery is done to determine whether severe abdominal pain is caused by schistosomiasis, amebic dysentery or appendicitis.

« »


  • Categories