[Medical Q&A] Is toxic bacillary dysentery poisoning?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Huang Lei, deputy chief physician, Fifth Medical Center, PLA General Hospital

Toxic bacillary dysentery is not "poisoning" in the traditional sense, but a special type of bacillary dysentery, which is characterized by rapid progression and easy to cause toxic shock, so it is called "poisoning type". Toxic bacillary dysentery mainly affects children aged 2 to 7 years old. Toxic bacillary dysentery has the following disease characteristics.

(1) Acute illness: Children often develop the disease suddenly, with body temperature rising rapidly to over 40°C.

(2) Symptoms of poisoning: pale complexion, cold limbs, rapid pulse, low blood pressure, and other manifestations of toxic shock.

(3) Neurological symptoms: varying degrees of impaired consciousness, such as drowsiness and coma, may occur.

(4) Diarrhea: Although diarrhea is also a common symptom, the intestinal symptoms of children are usually mild, and some children may not even have diarrhea. Sometimes they only have a small amount of loose stools or mucus stools.

Note the difference: Common bacterial dysentery is mainly manifested by abdominal pain, diarrhea, tenesmus, mucus, pus and blood in the stool; toxic bacterial dysentery is mainly characterized by systemic poisoning symptoms, and diarrhea may not be obvious!

Toxic bacillary dysentery can be diagnosed by isolating Shigella from stool culture. In terms of treatment, it is mainly anti-shock treatment, correction of water and electrolyte disorders, anti-infection and supportive treatment.