Dysentery is an intestinal infection that causes severe diarrhea with blood. In some cases, mucus may be found in the stool. This usually lasts for 3 to 7 days.

SYMPTOMS OF DYSENTERY 

• Abdominal cramps or pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
• Dehydration, which can become life-threatening if left untreated

MODE OF SPREAD

Dysentery is usually spread as a result of poor hygiene. For example, if someone who has dysentery does not wash their hands after using the toilet, anything they touch is at risk.

The infection is also spread through contact with food or water that has been contaminated with fecal matter. Careful hand washing and proper sanitation can help prevent dysentery and keep it from spreading.

TYPES  OF DYSENTERY 

* Bacterial dysentery

* Amoebic dysentery.

-Bacterial dysentery is caused by infection with bacteria from Shigella, Campylobacter, Salmonella, or enterohemorrhagic E. coli. Diarrhea from Shigella is also known as shigellosis. Shigellosis is the most common type of dysentery, with about 500,000 casesTrusted Source diagnosed in the United States each year.

-Amoebic dysentery is caused by a single-celled parasite that infects the intestines. It is also known as amebiasis.Amoebic dysentery is less common in the developed world. It is usually found in tropical locales that have poor sanitary conditions. In the United States, most cases of amoebic dysentery occur in people who have traveled to an area where it’s common.

CAUSES OF DYSENTERY 

Shigellosis and amoebic dysentery typically result from poor sanitation. This refers to environments where people who do not have dysentery come into contact with fecal matter from people who do have dysentery.

This contact may be through:

• Contaminated food
• Contaminated water and other drinks
• Poor hand washing by infected people
• Swimming in contaminated water, such as lakes or pools
• Physical contact

Children are most at risk of shigellosis, but anyone can get it at any age. It spread easily through person-to-person contact and by contaminated food and drink.

Shigellosis mostly spreads among people who are in close contact with an infected person, such as people:

• At home
• In day care centers
• In schools
• In nursing homes

Amoebic dysentery is primarily spread by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water in tropical areas that have poor sanitation.

PREVENTION OF DYSENTERY 

Shigellosis can be prevented through good sanitation practices, such as:

• Frequent hand washing
• Being careful when changing a sick baby’s diaper
• Not swallowing water when swimming

The best way to prevent amoebic dysentery is to be careful about what we eat and drink while visiting an area where it is common. When travelling to these areas, one should avoid:

• Drinks with ice cubes
• Drinks that are not bottled and sealed
• Food and beverages sold by street vendors
• Peeled fruit or vegetables, unless one peel them by self
• Unpasteurized milk, cheese, or dairy products

Safe sources of water include:

• Bottled water, if the seal is unbroken
• Carbonated water in cans or bottles, if the seal is unbroken
• Soda in cans or bottles, if the seal is unbroken
• Tap water that has been boiled for at least one minute
• Tap water that has been filtered through a 1-micron filter with chlorine or iodine tablets added

HOMEOPATHIC MEDICNE FOR DYSENTERY 

1. MERC COR : Usefull for dysentry with less blood and mucus but with extreme tenesmus. 

2. Asclepias Tuberosa : Useful for dysentery where the stools are soft and fetid, and tenesmus is constant. There is a sensation of a stream of fire passing through the abdomen when stools are relieved.

3. Mercurius Solublis : Useful for dysentery where there is tenesmus in the bladder and rectum before passing stool.

4. Aloes : Useful for dysentery with jelly-like stools with excess mucus. The is soreness in rectum after passing stools. 

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