What You Should Know About Dysentery

Dysentery is the cause of 20% of deaths resulting from diarrhea [1]. It stems from an infection of the intestines that leads to diarrhea with blood or mucus. The two main causes of dysentery are the Shigella bacteria (found primarily in western countries) and the amoebic parasite called Entamoeba histolytica (found in tropical areas) [2]. In the United States, approximately 450,000 Shigella caused infections occur each year [3]. Yet majorly, Shigella affects children in low to middle income countries, with about 99% of the cases occurring in those countries out of which 69% affects children. The leading reason for this is poor sanitation and overcrowding [4].

Dysentery-causing bacteria was first discovered by Kiyoshi Shiga in 1898, and in the following 100 years, researchers studied this, leading to the explication of the Shigella pathogen. Interestingly, this led to Shigella being one of the best models for studying invasive bacterial pathogens and has helped in our understanding of other bacterial pathogens as well [5]. 

Dysentery Causes

Typically, both the amoebic and the bacterial dysentery are caused by poor sanitation. This could be due to the environment one is in or because of one’s personal poor hygiene [nhs]. 

According to the CDC, here are some of the ways that the Shigella bacteria can be spread (either by environment or personal):

• Getting Shigella on your hands and eventually in your mouth, through touching surfaces potentially contaminated with fecal matter of someone with Shigella bacteria infection. 
• Through touching surfaces, bathroom fixtures, toys, diapers, etc. 
• Changing the diaper of child with the bacteria
• Taking care of a person with the infection - cleaning up after them.
• Eating food that is made by someone who has the bacteria and if they cook with dirty hands
• Swallowing lake water or untreated swimming pool water
• Contaminated water (sewage or flood water contaminated)
• Exposure to fecal matter during sexual contact with someone with Shigella infection or who has recently recovered from it.

Ways to Reduce Risk

Shigella infections are easily transmitted and as such, it is important to maintain proper hygiene: 

• Hand washing before preparing and eating food and before and after changing diapers of someone with the infection [3]. 
• Avoid swallowing lake and pool water [3].
• Stick to safe eating and drinking habits when traveling [3].
• Avoid sharing towels [2].
• Wash the laundry of an infected individual at the highest heat setting to kill the bacteria [2].

Consequences of Dysentery

It is a diarrheal based infection so symptoms will include [2]: 

• Stomach discomfort or cramps
• Feeling and/or being sick (nausea)
• Vomiting
• High temperature
• Dehydration. 

Treatment

• General - mild [6]
• The infection tends to run for 5-7 days
• So rest and fluids may be all that is needed to prevent symptoms such as dehydration, if your general health is good.
• For children, they may benefit from rehydration solutions such as pedialyte.
• Severe cases of dehydration need medical attention, where individuals can receive salts and fluids intravenously (direct method).
• Antibiotics - severe cases
• According to Williams and Berkley’s literature review on antibiotic treatment for dysentery, fluoroquinolones, beta-lactams and cephalosporins are appropriate therapies, being the first and second lines of defense respectively [4]. 
• It is important to keep in mind that antibiotics often cause resistance in the bacteria if the medication is not taken appropriately. That is why it is important to fully go through the course of the medication even after symptoms subside. 
• Probiotics
• A randomized double blind trial conducted by Sharif et al., found a significant difference in duration of blood in diarrhea between those who were given probiotics and those who were given placebo, as well as in the days of hospitalization of patients in the treatment group vs. placebo group, with treatment group patients spending less time in the hospital [1]. 
• In general, the study found that the use of probiotics can be effective in reducing the duration of blood in the diarrhea [1].  

Dysentery is clearly a serious condition with its unpleasant symptoms and with the way it affects numerous populations, especially children. While prevention is key, if you do get it, make sure that you stay hydrated, rest and observe your symptoms.

References

1. Sharif A, Kashani HH, Nasri E, Soleimani Z, Sharif MR. The Role of Probiotics in the Treatment of Dysentery: a Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial. Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins. 2017;9(4):380–5.

2. Dysentery [Internet]. NHS Choices. NHS; [cited 2021Mar5]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dysentery/ 

3. Questions & Answers [Internet]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2020 [cited 2021Mar5]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/shigella/general-information.html

4. Williams PC, Berkley JA. Guidelines for the treatment of dysentery (shigellosis): a systematic review of the evidence. Paediatrics and International Child Health. 2018;38(sup1). 

5. Lampel KA, Formal† SB, Maurelli AT. A Brief History of Shigella. EcoSal Plus. 2018;8(1).

6. Shigella infection [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2021Mar5]. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shigella/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20377533


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Effects of Sleep Deprivation You Should Watch Out For

We all know how it feels to lie awake all night, unable to turn off our brains or still our bodies. When those nights happen, you already know how you'll spend the next day-- exhausted, irritable, and dreaming of climbing back between the sheets. Though many of us experience these nights of tossing and turning, studies show missing out on the recommended 7 to 9 hours of shut-eye every night can do more to your body than just cause a long, irritating day.

The lasting effects of sleep deprivation are genuine and can have a major impact on your life and overall health.

Losing sleep puts a strain on your mental function and your physical health. Scientific research has discovered direct links between poor sleep and a number of wellness issues, from weight gain to a weakening immune system.

Keep reading to find out common causes of sleep deprivation and how it can impact particular functions and systems within your body.

Root causes of sleep deprivation

Typically, sleep deprivation is brought on by consistent, regular lack of sleep or reduced quality of sleep. Getting below 7 hrs of sleep on a regular basis can ultimately cause health and wellness repercussions that influence your entire body and mental state. These issues could also be triggered by a hidden sleep condition.

Your body requires sleep to function properly, just as it needs oxygen and food as fuel. During a night of restful sleep, your body heals itself and restores its chemical balance. Your mind forges new idea connections and assists memory retention.

Without sufficient sleep, your mental and bodily systems can not operate at their highest capacity. This physical condition can result in a negative impact on your life as a whole. 

A review of reliable research studies in 2010 found that sleep deprivation can even result to a reduced lifespan. 

Common signs of sleep deprivation 

• Drowsiness and tiredness during daytime hours
• Persistent yawning
• Irritable behavior

Use of common stimulants, such as high levels of caffeine, aren't sufficient to satisfy your body's profound need for sleep. As a matter of fact, these can make sleep deprivation even worse by making it more difficult to fall asleep in the evening.This, in turn, might lead to a cycle of nighttime insomnia followed by further daytime caffeine intake to deal with the resulting fatigue.

Behind the scenes, chronic sleep deprivation can hinder your body's interior systems and create many of the issues discussed before. 

Central nervous system 

Your body’s central nervous system is the main source of information sharing between the part of your body. Sleep is needed to maintain healthy and proper nervous system operation, but chronic sleeping disorders can interrupt how your body generally sends and processes info.

Throughout a night of sleep, pathways form in between neurons in your brain, helping you to store the memories and information collected during the day. Sleep deprivation leaves your brain worn down, so it struggles to create these storage pathways.

Your brain may also have trouble focusing on tasks and taking in new information throughout the day. These signals your body sends may be slowed, decreasing your coordination and putting you at risk for injury.

Sleep deprivation additionally causes negative effects on your mood stability and ability to cope with emotion. You may find yourself experiencing rapid mood changes throughout the day and irritability. These swings can cause decreased problem solving and a reactive nature. 

After experiencing sleep deprivation for an extended period of time, some can begin to have mental hallucinations. This means seeing or hearing stimuli that aren’t really present. A lack of sleep can also cause an exacerbation of bi-polar disorder symptoms. 

Other psychological risks consist of:

erratic behavior and decision making

• anxiety
• depression
• Paranoid delusion
• suicidal thoughts

You may additionally end up experiencing microsleep during the day. Throughout these episodes, you'll suddenly fall into a deep sleep for a few seconds without your control. 

Microsleep is not something that can be controlled and can be exceptionally dangerous if you're driving or work in an environment with heavy machinery.

Immune system

During a night of sleep, your body’s immune system generates protective, infection-fighting compounds like antibodies and cytokines. These compounds help your body fight off viruses and other infectious diseases that invade your immune system throughout the day. 

Particular cytokines additionally aid you to sleep, offering your body’s immune system extra effectiveness to safeguard your body from ailment.

Sleep deprivation prevents your immune system from developing these protective forces. If you don't get adequate sleep, your body might not be able to repel intruders, and it might make your body’s recovery from illness longer and more difficult.

Long lasting periods of sleep deprivation also increases your risk for chronic problems, such as diabetic issues, mellitus, and heart disease.

Breathing System

The connection between sleep and the breathing system goes both ways. A nighttime breathing condition, called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), can interrupt your sleep and impact the quality of your rest.

Low quality and highly interrupted sleep can put you at higher risk for respiratory infections like the common cold or the flu. Sleep deprivation can also make existing respiratory system diseases, like persistent lung disease, worse.

Gastrointestinal system

Combined with overeating and a lack of exercise, sleep deprivation can be a risk factor for becoming obese or overweight. Sleep impacts two important hormonal agents, leptin and ghrelin, which control your body’s feelings of hunger and fullness when eating.

Leptin sends signals to your brain when your stomach is full. Ghrelin sends signals to your brain when your body is in need of food. Without adequate sleep, your brain decreases leptin production and increases ghrelin production, telling your brain it's hungry and failing to tell it when it's full. The influx of these hormones could explain nighttime snacking or why a person may overeat later in the night.

A lack of sleep can also cause exhaustion, making it difficult to get proper exercise. In time, reduced exercise can make your body store excess weight since you're not burning the needed calories to counteract food intake.

Sleep deprivation can also cause your body not to release the needed amount of insulin after eating. Insulin works to lower your body’s blood sugar content, keeping it regulated. These interruptions in proper insulin production can lead to diabetic issues, like mellitus or obesity.

Cardiovascular system

Sleep aids the processes in your body that maintain your heart and capillary health, including those processes that regulate your blood sugar, high blood pressure, and inflammation levels. Sleep also plays a vital role in your body's ability to repair and regrow the blood vessels in the heart.

These connections mean those who aren’t getting adequate sleep are most likely to obtain heart disease. One trusted analysis linked insomnia to increased development of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Endocrine system

The healthy production of hormonal agents in your body depends on your sleep. For manufacturing, you require at the very least 3 hrs of uninterrupted sleep, which has to do with the moment of your first R.E.M. episode. Waking up throughout the night, disrupting your R.E.M. sleep could negatively impact healthy hormone manufacturing.

This disruption can also impact growth hormone manufacturing in children and teens. These important hormonal agents assist the body’s development of muscular tissue, cell repair, and enhance other growth features.

The pituitary gland launches these vital development hormones throughout the day, but getting the right amount of sleep and exercise can help the body properly produce these hormonal agents.

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