Dysentry is an infective disease of the large bowels characterized by frequent passing of blood and mucus with stool along with several abdominal cramps. Various microbial and chemical causes can result into dysentery in humans. Among the microbial aetiology are included both protozoa and bacteria.
Dysentery caused by protozoa is called amoebic dysentery and dysentry caused by bacteria is called bacillary dysentery.
Both amoebic and bacillary dysentery resemble each other, but can be differentiated on aetiological, clinical and laboratory grounds. Followings are the differences between amoebic dysentery and bacillary dysentery :
Differences in Pathology
Features
Amoebic Dysentery
Bacillary Dysentery
Causative agent
Entomoeba histolytica
Shigella species, Enterohemorrhagic E. coli, Vibrio parahemolyticus, Campylobacter jejuni
Nature of lesion
Necrotic due to proteolytic ferment
Suppurative due to diffusible toxins
Depth of ulcer
Usually deep
Shallow
Margin of ulcer
Ragged and undermined
Uniform, clear-cut (sharp)
Intervening mucos
Normal
Inflamed
Type of necrosis (cellular level)
Pyknotic (pyknotic body and mouse eaten cells)
Karyolysis (ghost cell and ring nucleus)
Liver abscess
Common
Rare
Cellular response
Mononuclear
Polymorphonuclear
Differences in Clinical Features
Features
Amoebic Dysentery
Bacillary Dysentery
Onset
Slow
Acute
Fever
Absent
Present
Abdominal tenderness
Localized
Generalized
Tenesmus
Absent
Present
Differences in Macroscopic Features of Stool
Features
Amoebic Dysentery
Bacillary Dysentery
Number
6-8 motions per day
Over 10 motions per day
Amount
Relatively copious
Small
Odor
Offensive
Odorless
Color
Dark red
Bright red
Nature
Blood and mucus mixed with feces
Blood and mucus, no feces
Reaction
Acidic
Alkaline
Differences in Microscopic Features of Stool
Features
Amoebic Dysentery
Bacillary Dysentery
Cellularity
Poor
High
RBC
In clumps, reddish yellow in color
Discrete or in rouleaux, bright red in color
Pus cells
Scanty
Numerous
Macrophages
Very few
Large and numerous, many of them contain RBCs, hence mistaken for E. histolytica
Great. Awsomelly interesting. Thanks very much. Coming back to what you said at the level of ” DIFFERENCE IN PATHOLOGY ” : cellular response; does it mean that in amoebic dysentery polymorphonuclear are absent? I remember the once said eosinophiles ( a polymorphonuclear cell ) fights against parasitic infections and is from them that Charcot Leyden crystal originates. Mononuclear such as macrophages and lymphocytes are mostly present in bacillary infections. so, I think level…………………. To be corrected. To confirm what I am saying, go to DIFFERENCES IN MICROSCOPIC FEATURES YOU WROTE.
smooth flow of info.,so useful..THANKs
Thanks
Great. Awsomelly interesting. Thanks very much. Coming back to what you said at the level of ” DIFFERENCE IN PATHOLOGY ” : cellular response; does it mean that in amoebic dysentery polymorphonuclear are absent? I remember the once said eosinophiles ( a polymorphonuclear cell ) fights against parasitic infections and is from them that Charcot Leyden crystal originates. Mononuclear such as macrophages and lymphocytes are mostly present in bacillary infections. so, I think level…………………. To be corrected. To confirm what I am saying, go to DIFFERENCES IN MICROSCOPIC FEATURES YOU WROTE.
very nicely mentioned
the differences in bacillary dysentry and amoebic dysentry is well heighlighted