Editing Diarrhea (section)

== Definition ==
[[file:BristolStoolChart.png|[[Bristol stool scale]]|thumb]]

Diarrhea is defined by the [[World Health Organization]] as having three or more loose or liquid [[Defecation|stools]] per day, or as having more stools than is normal for that person.<ref name=WHO2013/>

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 Organisation|World Gastroenterology Organization]].<ref name="WGO">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldgastroenterology.org/acute-diarrhea-in-adults.html |title=WGO Practice Guideline – Acute diarrhea |access-date=9 March 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110222012123/http://www.worldgastroenterology.org/acute-diarrhea-in-adults.html |archive-date=22 February 2011 }}</ref> Acute diarrhea that is watery may be known as AWD (Acute Watery Diarrhoea.)<ref>{{cite web |title=Cholera outbreak toobox |url=https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/outbreak-toolkit/cholera-outbreak-data-collection-toolbox---layout-inis-27-june.pdf?sfvrsn=60036811_2 |publisher=WHO |access-date=2 May 2022 |date=June 2019 |archive-date=30 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530170149/https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/outbreak-toolkit/cholera-outbreak-data-collection-toolbox---layout-inis-27-june.pdf?sfvrsn=60036811_2 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Secretory===
Secretory diarrhea means that there is an increase in the active secretion, or there is an inhibition of absorption. There is little to no structural damage. The most common cause of this type of diarrhea is a [[cholera toxin]] that stimulates the secretion of [[anion]]s, especially [[chloride]] ions (Cl<sup>–</sup>). Therefore, to maintain a charge balance in the [[gastrointestinal tract]], sodium (Na<sup>+</sup>) is carried with it, along with water. In this type of diarrhea intestinal fluid secretion is [[Tonicity#3|isotonic]] with plasma even during fasting.<ref name="webmd.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-diarrhea |title=The Basics of Diarrhea |publisher=Webmd.com |date=17 February 2011 |access-date=9 March 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311010926/http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-diarrhea |archive-date=11 March 2011 }}</ref><ref name="MoonZhang2015"/> It continues even when there is no oral food intake.

===Osmotic===
Osmotic diarrhea occurs when too much water is drawn into the bowels. If a person drinks solutions with excessive sugar or excessive salt, these can draw water from the body into the bowel and cause osmotic diarrhea.<ref name=WHOtreatmentdiarrhoea2005>{{cite web|url = http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2005/9241593180.pdf|title = The Treatment Of Diarrhea, A manual for physicians and other senior health workers|publisher = [[World Health Organization]]|version = Sometimes needs to be downloaded twice. See "4.2 Treatment Plan A: home therapy to prevent dehydration and malnutrition", "4.3 Treatment Plan B: oral rehydration therapy for children with some dehydration", and "4.4 Treatment Plan C: for patients with severe dehydration" on pages 8 to 16 (12–20 in PDF). See also "8. Management of Diarrhoea with Severe Malnutrition" on pages 22–24 (26–30 in PDF) and "Annex 2: Oral and Intravenous Rehydration Solutions" on pages 33–37 (37–41 in PDF).|year = 2005|url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111019172153/http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2005/9241593180.pdf|archive-date = 19 October 2011|df = dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="MoonZhang2015"/> Osmotic diarrhea can also result from maldigestion (e.g., pancreatic disease or [[coeliac disease]]) in which the nutrients are left in the [[Lumen (anatomy)|lumen]] to pull in water. Or it can be caused by osmotic [[laxatives]] (which work to alleviate [[constipation]] by drawing water into the bowels). In healthy individuals, too much [[magnesium]], [[vitamin C]] or undigested [[lactose]] can produce osmotic diarrhea and distention of the bowel. A person who has [[lactose intolerance]] can have difficulty absorbing lactose after an extraordinarily high intake of dairy products. In persons who have [[fructose malabsorption]], excess fructose intake can also cause diarrhea. High-fructose foods that also have a high glucose content are more absorbable and less likely to cause diarrhea. [[Sugar alcohol]]s such as [[sorbitol]] (often found in sugar-free foods) are difficult for the body to absorb and, in large amounts, may lead to osmotic diarrhea.<ref name="webmd.com"/> In most of these cases, osmotic diarrhea stops when the offending agent (e.g., milk or sorbitol) is stopped.

===Exudative===
Exudative diarrhea occurs with the presence of blood and pus in the stool. This occurs with [[inflammatory bowel diseases]], such as [[Crohn's disease]] or [[ulcerative colitis]], and other severe infections such as ''[[Escherichia coli|E. coli]]'' or other forms of food poisoning.<ref name="MoonZhang2015"/><ref name="webmd.com"/>

===Inflammatory===
Inflammatory diarrhea occurs when there is damage to the mucosal lining or brush border, which leads to a passive loss of protein-rich fluids and a decreased ability to absorb these lost fluids. Features of all three of the other types of diarrhea can be found in this type of diarrhea.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Sweetser S | title = Evaluating the patient with diarrhea: a case-based approach |doi-access=free | journal = Mayo Clinic Proceedings | volume = 87 | issue = 6 | pages = 596–602 | date = June 2012 | pmid = 22677080 | pmc = 3538472 | doi = 10.1016/j.mayocp.2012.02.015 }}</ref> It can be caused by bacterial infections, viral infections, parasitic infections, or autoimmune problems such as inflammatory bowel diseases. It can also be caused by tuberculosis, colon cancer, and enteritis.<ref name="MoonZhang2015"/>

===Dysentery===
If there is blood visible in the stools, it is also known as [[dysentery]]. The blood is a trace of an invasion of bowel tissue. Dysentery is a symptom of, among others, ''[[Shigella]]'', ''[[Entamoeba histolytica]]'', and ''[[Salmonella]]''.<ref name="MoonZhang2015"/>