Is Diarrhea A Communicable Disease? How Can It Be Prevented From Transmission And What Are Its Treatment?

Diarrhea is one of the most common health complaints, ranging from a mild, temporary condition to a potentially life-threatening condition.

What Do You Mean By Diarrhea?

Diarrhea is usually a symptom of an infection in the intestinal tract, usually caused by various bacterial, viral, and parasitic organisms. It is characterized by the frequently passing of loose or watery stools. The disorder of the digestive system also causes chronic diarrhea. It is more common in children under the age of 5 years. However, breastfeeding babies often pass loose, sticky stools, which is normal.

Is Diarrhea  A Communicable Disease?

Diarrhea is usually caused by bacterial, viral, and parasitic organisms. Therefore, infection is spread through contaminated food or drinking water or from person to person due to poor hygiene. So, it is considered an infectious disease.

What Are The CausesThe food Risk Factors Of Diarrhea?

Diarrhea can also have other causes besides infections, including the following points:

  • Food you are not used to, such as the food you consumed while traveling abroad.
  • Intolerance of food like gluten or lactose.
  • Irritable bowel syndrome is also known as spastic colon.
  • Chronic inflammatory bowel disease like ulcerative colitis.
  • Side effects of medication such as antibiotics sometimes cause diarrhea because they also attack normal gut flora.

How Can You Identify That You Have Diarrhea?

Diarrhea refers to watery stools, but it may be accompanied by various symptoms, which help you to identify that you have diarrhea. They are ;

  • Stomach pain
  • Abdominal cramps
  • Body aches
  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Weight loss
  • Bloating

Sometimes diarrhea is also a symptom of other disease conditions, some of which can be serious. Other possible symptoms are:

  • Blood or pus in the stool
  • Persistent vomiting
  • Dehydration

How Can It Be Prevented From Transmission?

The following vital majors help you to prevent the transmission of diarrhea. That includes;

  1. Access to safe drinking water
  2. Frequent hand washing by using soap
  3. Use of improved sanitation
  4. Vaccination against the rotavirus
  5. Good personal hygiene
  6. Good food hygiene
  7. Awareness about the transmission of diarrhea
  8. Provide health education about how infections spread

 

What Are The Treatment Of Diarrhea?

The following measures help you to treat diarrhea. They are:

1)Rehydration

All intestine replaces the water and electrolytes lost in the feces with the help of oral rehydration salt(ORSean water, salt, and sugar. It usually costs a few cents per treatment. ORS is absorbed in the sm. It usually costs a few cents per treatment, with intravenous fluid in case of shock or severe dehydration.

2) Zinc Supplements

Zinc supplements reduce the duration of a diarrhea episode by 25% and are associated with a 30% reduction in stool volume.

3) Nutrient-Rich Foods

The vicious circle of malnutrition and diarrhea can be broken by continuing to give nutrient-rich foods, such as breast milk- during an episode and by providing a nutritious diet, including exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life to children when they are well.

4) Antibiotics

Antibiotics can only treat diarrhea if it is caused due to bacterial infections. If the cause is a particular medication, switching to another drug might help. Always talk to a doctor before changing medications.

5)Antidiarrheal Medication

Over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications are also available. Loperamide is an antimotility drug that reduces stool passage. It is open to purchase over the counter. Subsalicylate reduces the diarrheal stool output in adults as well as children. It can also prevent traveler’s diarrhea. There is some concern that anti-diarrheal medications could prolong bacterial infection by reducing the removal of pathogens through the help of stools.

6) Diet

The following diet tips may help with the treatment of diarrhea. They are:

  • Sipping on clear liquids, such as electrolyte drinks, water, or juice without added sugar.
  • After each loose stool, replace the lost fluids with at least 1 cup of liquid.
  • Doing most of the drinking between, not during meals.
  • Consuming high potassium foods and liquids, such as diluted fruit juices, potatoes without the skin, and bananas.
  • Consuming food high in soluble fiber, such as banana, oatmeal, and rice.
  • Eating foods and liquids high in sodium such as broths, soups, sports, drinks, and salted crackers.
  • Limiting the foods that may worsen diarrhea, such as creamy, fried, high dairy, and sugary foods.

Last Updated on July 28, 2023 by john liam