Overview

Dysentery is an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.

Title
Dysentery

Types

There are two main types of dysentery:

  • bacillary dysentery or shigellosis – caused by shigella bacteria; this is the most common type of dysentery in the UK
  • amoebic dysentery or amoebiasis – caused by an amoeba (single-celled parasite) called Entamoeba histolytica, which is mainly found in tropical areas; this type of dysentery is usually picked up abroad
Symptoms

diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.

  • painful stomach cramps
  • nausea or vomiting
  • a fever of 38C (100.4F) or above

Dysentery is highly infectious and can be passed on if you don't take the right precautions, such as properly and regularly washing your hands.

Causes

Bacillary and amoebic dysentery are both highly infectious and can be passed on if the faeces (poo) of an infected person gets into another person's mouth.

This can happen if someone with the infection doesn't wash their hands after going to the toilet and then touches food, surfaces or another person.

In the UK, the infection usually affects groups of people in close contact, such as in families, schools and nurseries.

There's also a chance of picking up the infection through anal or anal-oral sex ("rimming").

In developing countries with poor sanitation, infected faeces may contaminate the water supply or food, particularly cold uncooked food.