Infectious Diarrhea: Everything You Need To Know
Specialists define diarrhea as any thick or liquid stool, occurring three or more times a day. Infectious diarrhea is not only a sign of a medical problem, but is also the second most common cause of death in low-income countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
In western countries with a developed health system, diarrhea is usually not a problem. In other regions, however, it can be fatal. Whether it’s awareness or prevention, knowledge about this condition is essential. In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about infectious diarrhea.
What is infectious diarrhea?
As we mentioned above , infectious diarrhea is categorized as liquid stool produced more than three times a day. According to studies, in young children aged two years, this reduces to three or more within a 12-hour period, or else at least one with blood, mucus or pus.
Pathogens cause infections and diarrhea, provided, of course, that there was no other reason such as food poisoning or gastrointestinal complaints such as irritable bowel syndrome. Viruses, bacteria, or protozoa (parasitic single-celled organisms) can also cause the disease.
In addition to information of a medical nature, it is essential to contextualize infectious diarrhea on a global scale. The World Health Organization has provided us with a set of revealing data, including the following:
- Diarrhea disease is the second leading cause of death in children under the age of five worldwide. This equates to approximately 525,000 infant deaths per year.
- It is possible to prevent a significant proportion of these diseases with good health structures and relevant food controls.
- This condition can lead to severe malnutrition, loss of healthy years of life and, in more severe cases, death of the patient.
Causes of Infectious Diarrhea
As scientific studies indicate (Spanish link), viruses, bacteria, and protozoa all cause infectious diarrhea, in addition to certain more complex parasites. We will now briefly explain what each of these consists of.
bacteria
Surprisingly, however, bacteria only cause between 10% and 20% of infectious diarrhea. Among the most common enteropathogenic species, we find the following:
- Shigella spp.
- Salmonella spp.
- Vibrio cholerae
- Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli
- Aeromonas spp.
- Yersinia enterocolitica
Also worth mentioning is the bacterium Campylobacter jejuni , which contributes to the four most common causes of diarrhea worldwide.
Virus
Many viruses cause diarrhea, including the noro and rotaviruses. These are the most common causes of acute diarrhea. These episodes of virus-induced loose stools are also known as viral gastroenteritis or stomach flu.
Protozoa and other parasites
Some protozoa present in water, such as Entamoeba histolytica or Giardia lamblia , can also cause infectious diarrhea. More complex parasites, such as intestinal worms, scientifically known as Ascaris lumbricoldes , also give rise to these types of clinical cases.
Main methods of transmission
Depending on which pathogen we look at, we can find that the transmission methods are multifaceted and varied. For example, a virus is transmitted via micro-aerosols that the infected person transmits, such as coughing and sneezing, while a bacterium generally has to be ingested through food.
How to Prevent Infectious Diarrhea
According to the Center for the Prevention and Control of Diseases (CDC), the best preventions to avoid infectious diarrhea include the following:
- sterilize the surfaces in your kitchen
- do not drink untreated water
- eat only cooked or pasteurized foods
In fact, the micro-organisms we mentioned above are transmitted through direct contact with the mouth or ingestion, through water or certain foods.
What are other symptoms of infectious diarrhea?
In addition to liquid or thick stools, infectious diarrhea may also be accompanied by other symptoms, depending on the causative agent. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIH), some accompanying clinical signs may include the following:
- blood in the stool
- fever and chills
- dizziness and vertigo
- yield
- pain and bloating in the stomach
Food Prevention
As you have seen in this article, many pathogens can cause infectious diarrhea:
- bacteria
- viruses
- protozoa
- parasites
In most Western countries this case is not a problem, but in areas with poor sanitation it is the second most common cause of death.
Thus, the best prevention against diarrhea (excluding cases caused by viruses) is to avoid consumption of raw, poorly cooked food or food that has been handled in an environment that has not been properly disinfected.
