Dysentery is a chronic disease of the large intestine where people pass small watery faeces containing blood and mucus, combined with severe abdominal cramps. There are often ulcers on the wall of the intestine and the disease can often be mistaken for diarrhoea.
Dysentery can be caused by two types of infections, the first is caused by a specific amoeba and is called amoebic dysentery. The second is caused by a bacteria which infects the colon and is called bacillary dysentery.
Amoebic Dysentery - found in many tropical countries it is caused by the amoeba Entamoeba histolytic. It is due to unhealthy living conditions and is particularly common in the Philippine islands and the West Indies, although it can occur in any temperate country.
It is generally spread through infected water or contaminated uncooked food, although flies may carry the amoeba from the faeces of an infected person to food. It can be treated by a range of drugs, and some treatments containing iodine have been successful in treating severe cases of the disease.
Bacillary Dysentery - caused by the bacteria from the Shingella family this form of dysentery is also most common in the tropics but can be found in any part of the world.
It is very easily spread and can cause small epidemics in unhygienic areas, making small outbreaks common around the world. It is not as severe as amoebic dysentery as it does not infect the organs in the same way. It is spread by contaminated milk, water, food and faeces, with faeces of infected people containing huge numbers of the disease producing bacteria.
People can carry the bacteria without suffering from the severe diarrohea, although their faeces also contain large amounts of bacteria and can infect others. Flies also spread dysentery, carrying it on their feet, in saliva and in faeces and deposit it on food. It is also believed that ants can carry the disease.
It can be treated by replacing the fluids and salts lost, although drugs are also effective. Problems are occurring with drug resistant strains of bacillary dysentery emerging. Today there are few drugs that will kill the resistant strain, and it is possible that in the future there will be no treatment available.
