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Diarrhea is defined by the World Health Organization as having three or more loose or liquid stools per day, or as having more stools than is normal for that person. [2] Acute diarrhea is defined as an abnormally frequent discharge of semisolid or fluid fecal matter from the bowel, lasting less than 14 days, by World Gastroenterology ...
Some consider diarrhea to be the most common aggravating factor. [2] Where diarrhea is caused by temporary problems such as mild infections or food reactions, incontinence tends to be short-lived. Chronic conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn's disease, can cause severe diarrhea lasting for weeks or months.
Viruses cause about 70% of episodes of infectious diarrhea in the pediatric age group. [13] Rotavirus is a less common cause in adults due to acquired immunity. [27] Norovirus is the cause in about 18% of all cases. [28] Generally speaking, viral gastroenteritis accounts for 21–40% of the cases of infectious diarrhea in developed countries. [29]
Gastroduodenal Crohn's disease causes inflammation in the stomach and the first part of the small intestine called the duodenum. Jejunoileitis causes spotty patches of inflammation in the top half of the small intestine, called the jejunum. [170] The disease can attack any part of the digestive tract, from mouth to anus.
Discussing with the patient any health-related behaviors (e.g. tobacco use, alcohol consumption, drug use, and sexual activity) that might make certain diagnoses more likely. Reviewing the presence of non-abdominal symptoms (e.g., fever , chills, chest pain , shortness of breath , vaginal bleeding ) that can further clarify the diagnostic picture.
Main causes of fecal–oral disease transmission include lack of adequate sanitation (leading to open defecation), and poor hygiene practices. If soil or water bodies are polluted with fecal material, humans can be infected with waterborne diseases or soil-transmitted diseases. Fecal contamination of food is another form of fecal-oral transmission.
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Less common causes of this symptom profile are carcinoid syndrome, microscopic colitis, bacterial overgrowth, and eosinophilic gastroenteritis; IBS is, however, a common presentation, and testing for these conditions would yield low numbers of positive results, so it is considered difficult to justify the expense. [75]