Dysentery

Dysentery describes a group of infections characterized by inflammation of the small and large intestine with severe diarrhoea often containing white cells and mucus - and occasionally blood. It usually includes cramps and fever. Dysentery should not be thought of as a separate disease, but simply one end of the spectrum of diarrhoeal disease.

The two main types are amoebic dysentery of the tropics and bacillary dysentery which occurs throughout the world.