Dysentery Support Group

Dysentery is an illness involving severe diarrhea that is often associated with blood in the feces. It is caused by ingestion of food containing bacteria, causing a disease in which inflammation of the intestines affect the body significantly. There are two major types: shigellosis, which is caused by one of several type of Shigella bacteria; and amoebic dysentery, which is caused by the amoeba Entamoeba histolytica.

In adults, dysentery caused by bacteria usually subsides spontaneously. But in children, and other vulnerable groups, the condition can be treated with antibiotics. However, Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (Sd1) has, in recent years, become increasingly resistant to drug treatments. Among people who have become dehydrated as a result of the disease, the key is to replenish their fluid stocks as quickly as possible. This can be done using oral rehydration salts or intravenous fluids. Amoebic dysentery is usually treated with a combination of drugs. These include an amoebicide to kill the parasite, an antibiotic to treat any associated bacterial infection, and a drug to combat infection of the liver and other tissues.