Causes

Most cases of diarrhea are caused by an infection in the gastrointestinal tract.

The microbes responsible for this infection include:

 bacteria

 viruses

 parasitic organisms
The most commonly identified causes of acute diarrhea in the United States
are the bacteria Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, and Shiga-toxin-
producing Escherichia coli.

Some cases of chronic diarrhea are called "functional" because a clear cause
cannot be found. In the developed world, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is
the most common cause of functional diarrhea.

IBS is a complex of symptoms. There is cramping abdominal pain and altered

bowel habits, including diarrhea, constipation, or both.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is another cause of chronic diarrhea. It is a

term used to describe either ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. There is
often blood in the stool in both conditions.

Other major causes of chronic diarrhea include:

 Microscopic colitis: This is a persistent diarrhea that usually affects older

adults, often during the night.

 Malabsorptive and maldigestive diarrhea: The first is caused by impaired

nutrient absorption, the second by impaired digestive function. Celiac
disease is one example.
 Chronic infections: A history of travel or antibiotic use can be clues to
chronic diarrhea. Various bacteria and parasites can be the cause.

 Drug-induced diarrhea: Laxatives and other drugs, including antibiotics, can

trigger diarrhea.

 Endocrine causes: Sometimes hormonal factors cause diarrhea, for

example, in the case of Addison disease and carcinoid tumors.

 Cancer causes: Neoplastic diarrhea is associated with a number of

gut cancers.

Symptoms
Diarrhea refers to watery stools, but it may be accompanied by other
symptoms.

These include:

 stomach pain

 abdominal cramps

 bloating

 thirst

 weight loss

 fever
Diarrhea is a symptom of other conditions, some of which can be serious.

Other possible symptoms are:

 blood or pus in the stools

 persistent vomiting

 dehydration
If these accompany diarrhea, or if the diarrhea is chronic, it may indicate a
more serious illness.

Complications
Two potentially serious complications of diarrhea are:

 dehydration, with acute or chronic diarrhea

 malabsorption, with chronic diarrhea

Diarrhea can also be a sign of a wide range of underlying chronic conditions.
These conditions need to be diagnosed treated to prevent further problems.

Prevention
In developing countries, prevention of diarrhea may be more challenging due
to dirty water and poor sanitation.

The following can help prevent diarrhea:

 clean and safe drinking water

 good sanitation systems, for example, waste water and sewage

 good hygiene practices, including handwashing with soap after defecation,

after cleaning a child who has defecated, after disposing of a child's stool,
before preparing food, and before eating
 breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life

 education on the spread of infection

There is evidence that interventions from public health bodies to promote
hand washing can cut diarrhea rates by about one-third.