In Reply to: For mine posted by Spudzilla on Tuesday, 2. January 2007 at 13:38 Bali Time:
From what i have read they are diferent types of parasites.
Amoebic Dysentery
Dysentery is an illness (formerly known as the bloody flux or simply flux) involving severe diarrhea that is often associated with blood in the feces. It is caused by ingestion of food containing microorganisms, causing a disease in which inflammation of the intestines affect the body significantly. There are two major types: shigellosis, which is caused by one of several types of Shigella bacteria; and amoebic dysentery, which is caused by the amoeba Entamoeba histolytica. Kiyoshi Shiga discovered the dysentery bacteria in 1898.
Etiology
Amoebic dysentery is transmitted by contaminated water, and is well known as a "traveler's dysentery" because of its prevalence in developing nations, or "Montezuma's Revenge" (particularly in Mexico), although it is occasionally seen in industrialized countries. Liver infection, and subsequent amoebic abscesses can occur. It can be treated with metronidazole or related azole drugs. Amoebic dysentery is usually caught from contaminated food and water. So it's commoner in developing countries, where the tap water isn't as clean as we're used to.
Amoebic dysentery can also be passed from person to person. For example, if someone doesn't wash their hands after going to the toilet, then shakes your hand or gives you money, amoebas could pass into your mouth when you eat.
Symptoms
The main symptom of epidemic dysentery is bloody diarrhea. Other common symptoms include abdominal cramps, fever and rectal pain. Less frequent complications can include a form of blood poisoning known as sepsis, seizure and kidney failure.
Tiny organisms are spread through contaminated food and water when either is swallowed. From ingestion, they move into the intestines via the stomach. Amoebae spread by forming infective cysts which can be found in stools and spread if whoever touches it does not wash their hands. There are also free amoebae, or 'trophozoites', that do not form cysts. Symptoms are most likely to appear in places with poor hygiene.
Treatment
In adults, dysentery caused by bacteria usually subsides spontaneously. But in children, and other vulnerable groups, the condition can be treated with antibiotics. However, Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (Sd1) has, in recent years, become increasingly resistant to drug treatments. Among people who have become dehydrated as a result of the disease, the key is to replenish their fluid stocks as quickly as possible. This can be done using oral rehydration salts or intravenous fluids. Amoebic dysentery is usually treated with a combination of drugs. These include an amoebicide to kill the parasite, an antibiotic to treat any associated bacterial infection, and a drug to combat infection of the liver and other tissues.
'Bali Belly'
If you have ever had 'Bali Belly', Giardia Duodenalis is the parasite that causes it - a beautiful parasite, with these caudal flagella for movement and this ventral disc that it uses to stick on to your intestine and actually coat it.
Bali Belly
From the BMI Web Site:- Another term commonly used to describe Bali Belly is Traveler's Diarrhea. Seem familiar? Well you should be familiar because it could happen to any traveler, as much as 50% of travelers, which accounts for up to 10 million people! This condition is quite often seen in Bali. At BIMC, diarrhea is one of the main complaints that brings people through our doors to seek medical attention.
Although everyone has a risk to get diarrhea during traveling, it's more likely to occur in persons who are immunosupressed, diabetic, or with inflammatory bowel disease, and persons taking H2 antagonist or antacids (medication for gastric ulcers) long term.
The main source of infection is food and water that has been contaminated by faeces. The cause of the infection can be a virus, parasite, or bacteria.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria are often a cause of traveler's diarrhea. E. coli bacteria are normally found in the human intestine. There are many varieties of E. coli bacteria. Usually your body becomes used to the E. coli in your environment and the bacteria do not cause intestinal problems. However, when you are exposed to new varieties of E. coli bacteria, your body may react to substances produced by the bacteria. These toxins may interfere with your intestine's ability to absorb water. This causes diarrhea .
Sometimes traveler's diarrhea is caused by the stress of traveling , jet lag, a different diet, or other factors.