What is the prognosis for dysentery?
Most adults in developed countries recover completely from an episode of dysentery. Children are at greater risk of becoming dehydrated, however; bacillary dysentery in particular can lead to a child’s death from dehydration in as little as 12–24 hours. • Bacillary dysentery. Most patients recover completely from shigellosis, although their bowel habits may not become completely normal for several months. About 3 percent of people infected by S. flexneri will develop Reiter’s syndrome, which may lead to a chronic form of arthritis that is difficult to treat. Elderly patients or those with weakened immune systems sometimes develop secondary bacterial infections after an episode of shigellosis. • Amebic dysentery. Most people in North America who become infected with E. histolytica do not become severely ill. Patients who develop a severe case of amebic dysentery, however, are at increased risk for such complications as fulminant colitis or liver abscess. About 0.5 percent of patients wi
