DIARRHEA

Acute diarrhea, meaning diarrhea that is not long-term, is a very common cause death in developing nations, especially among young children and babies. It usually appears rapidly and may last from between five to ten days.

Chronic diarrhea, meaning long-term diarrhea is the second cause of death among children in developing countries.

People with diarrhea often have fever and/or stomachache (abdominal cramps). Diarrhea may be caused by inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's disease, an allergy, or an infection.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) approximately 3.5 million deaths each year are attributable to diarrhea. 80% of those deaths occur in children under the age of 5 years. Children are more susceptible to the complications of diarrhea because a smaller amount of fluid loss leads to dehydration, compared to adults. 

What Causes Diarrhea?

The most common cause of diarrhea is a virus that infects the gut. The infection usually lasts for two days and is sometimes called "intestinal flu" or "stomach flu." Diarrhea may also be caused by:

• Infection by bacteria (the cause of most types of food poisoning)
• Infections by other organisms
• Eating foods that upset the digestive system
• Allergies to certain foods
• Medications
• Radiation therapy
• Diseases of the intestines (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis)
• Malabsorption (where the body is unable to adequately absorb certain nutrients from the diet)
• Hyperthyroidism
• Some cancers
• Laxative abuse
• Alcohol abuse
• Digestive tract surgery
• Diabetes
• Competitive running

What Are the Symptoms of Diarrhea?

Symptoms of diarrhea can be broken down into uncomplicated (or non-serious) diarrhea and complicated diarrhea. Complicated diarrhea may be a sign of a more serious illness.

Symptoms of uncomplicated diarrhea include:

• Abdominal bloating or cramps
• Thin or loose stools
• Watery stool
• Sense of urgency to have a bowel movement
• Nausea and vomiting

In addition to the symptoms described above, the symptoms of complicated diarrhea include:

• Blood, mucus, or undigested food in the stool
• Weight loss
• Fever

How Can I Prevent Diarrhea?

Though some types of diarrhea, such as those due to other medical conditions, are unavoidable, infectious diarrhea can be prevented.

The most important way to avoid diarrhea is to avoid coming into contact with infectious agents that can cause it. This means that good hand washing and hygiene are very important.

Also, if you travel to developing countries, you should take the following precautions:

• Drink only bottled water, even for tooth brushing
• Avoid eating food from street vendors
• Avoid ice made with tap water
• Eat only those fruit or vegetables that are cooked or can be peeled
• Be sure that all foods you eat are thoroughly cooked and served steaming hot
• Never eat raw or undercooked meat or seafood
• Obtain a hepatitis A vaccination prior to travel, if indicated for that region

Clean hands protect against infection 

Protect yourself

• Clean your hands regularly.
• Wash your hands with soap and water, and dry them thoroughly.
• Use alcohol-based hand rub if you don’t have immediate access to soap and water.

How do I wash my hands properly?

Washing your hands properly takes about as long as singing "Happy Birthday" twice,
using the images below.