Common cold

The common cold is a viral infection of your nose and throat (upper respiratory tract). It's
usually harmless, although it might not feel that way. Many types of viruses can cause a
common cold.

Children younger than 6 are at greatest risk of colds, but healthy adults can also expect
to have two or three colds annually.

Most people recover from a common cold in a week or 10 days. Symptoms might last
longer in people who smoke. If symptoms don't improve, see your doctor.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a common cold usually appear one to three days after exposure to a cold-
causing virus. Signs and symptoms, which can vary from person to person, might
include:

 Runny or stuffy nose

 Sore throat

 Cough
  Congestion

 Slight body aches or a mild headache

 Sneezing

 Low-grade fever

 Generally feeling unwell (malaise)

Causes

Although many types of viruses can cause a common cold, rhinoviruses are the most
common culprit.

A cold virus enters your body through your mouth, eyes or nose. The virus can spread
through droplets in the air when someone who is sick coughs, sneezes or talks.

It also spreads by hand-to-hand contact with someone who has a cold or by sharing
contaminated objects, such as utensils, towels, toys or telephones. If you touch your
eyes, nose or mouth after such contact or exposure, you're likely to catch a cold.

Risk factors

These factors can increase your chances of getting a cold:

 Age. Children younger than 6 are at greatest risk of colds, especially if they spend time in
child-care settings.

 Weakened immune system. Having a chronic illness or otherwise weakened immune

system increases your risk.

 Time of year. Both children and adults are more susceptible to colds in fall and winter, but
you can get a cold anytime.

 Smoking. You're more likely to catch a cold and to have more-severe colds if you're
exposed to cigarette smoke.

 Exposure. If you're around many people, such as at school or on an airplane, you're likely
to be exposed to viruses that cause colds.
Influenza (flu)

Influenza is a viral infection that attacks your respiratory system — your nose, throat
and lungs. Influenza is commonly called the flu, but it's not the same as stomach "flu"
viruses that cause diarrhea and vomiting.
For most people, influenza resolves on its own. But sometimes, influenza and its
complications can be deadly. People at higher risk of developing flu complications
include:

 Young children under age 5, and especially those under 12 months

 Adults older than age 65
 Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
 Pregnant women and women up to two weeks postpartum
 People with weakened immune systems
 People who have chronic illnesses, such as asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, liver
disease and diabetes
 People who are very obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher
Though the annual influenza vaccine isn't 100 percent effective, it's still your best
defense against the flu.
Symptoms
Initially, the flu may seem like a common cold with a runny nose, sneezing and sore
throat. But colds usually develop slowly, whereas the flu tends to come on suddenly.
And although a cold can be a nuisance, you usually feel much worse with the flu.
Common signs and symptoms of the flu include:

 Fever over 100.4 F (38 C)

 Aching muscles
 Chills and sweats
 Headache
  Dry, persistent cough
 Fatigue and weakness
 Nasal congestion
 Sore throat

Causes

Flu viruses travel through the air in droplets when someone with the infection coughs,
sneezes or talks. You can inhale the droplets directly, or you can pick up the germs
from an object — such as a telephone or computer keyboard — and then transfer them
to your eyes, nose or mouth.

People with the virus are likely contagious from the day or so before symptoms first
appear until about five days after symptoms begin. Children and people with weakened
immune systems may be contagious for a slightly longer time.

Influenza viruses are constantly changing, with new strains appearing regularly. If
you've had influenza in the past, your body has already made antibodies to fight that
particular strain of the virus. If future influenza viruses are similar to those you've
encountered before, either by having the disease or by getting vaccinated, those
antibodies may prevent infection or lessen its severity.

But antibodies against flu viruses you've encountered in the past can't protect you from
new influenza strains that can be very different immunologically from what you had
before.
Asthma

Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and produce extra
mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, wheezing and shortness
of breath.

For some people, asthma is a minor nuisance. For others, it can be a major problem
that interferes with daily activities and may lead to a life-threatening asthma attack.

Asthma can't be cured, but its symptoms can be controlled. Because asthma often
changes over time, it's important that you work with your doctor to track your signs and
symptoms and adjust treatment as needed.

Symptoms

Asthma symptoms vary from person to person. You may have infrequent asthma
attacks, have symptoms only at certain times — such as when exercising — or have
symptoms all the time.

Asthma signs and symptoms include:

 Shortness of breath
  Chest tightness or pain

 Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing

 A whistling or wheezing sound when exhaling (wheezing is a common sign of asthma in

children)

 Coughing or wheezing attacks that are worsened by a respiratory virus, such as a cold or
the flu

Causes

It isn't clear why some people get asthma and others don't, but it's probably due to a
combination of environmental and genetic (inherited) factors.

Asthma triggers

Exposure to various irritants and substances that trigger allergies (allergens) can trigger
signs and symptoms of asthma. Asthma triggers are different from person to person and
can include:

 Airborne substances, such as pollen, dust mites, mold spores, pet dander or particles of
cockroach waste

 Respiratory infections, such as the common cold

 Physical activity (exercise-induced asthma)

 Cold air

 Air pollutants and irritants, such as smoke

 Certain medications, including beta blockers, aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others)
and naproxen (Aleve)

 Strong emotions and stress

 Sulfites and preservatives added to some types of foods and beverages, including shrimp,
dried fruit, processed potatoes, beer and wine

 Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition in which stomach acids back up into
your throat
Diarrhea

Diarrhea — loose, watery and possibly more-frequent bowel movements — is a

common problem.

Luckily, diarrhea is usually short-lived, lasting no more than a few days. But, when
diarrhea lasts for weeks, it usually indicates that's there's another problem. If you have
diarrhea for weeks or longer, you may have a condition such as irritable bowel disorder,
or a more serious disorder, such as a persistent infection or inflammatory bowel
disease.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms associated with diarrhea may include:

 Loose, watery stools

 Abdominal cramps

 Abdominal pain

 Fever

 Blood in the stool

  Mucus in the stool

 Bloating

 Nausea

 Urgent need to have a bowel movement

Causes

A number of diseases and conditions can cause diarrhea, including

 Viruses. Viruses that can cause diarrhea include Norwalk virus, cytomegalovirus and viral
hepatitis. Rotavirus is a common cause of acute childhood diarrhea.

 Bacteria and parasites. Contaminated food or water can transmit bacteria and parasites
to your body. When traveling in developing countries, diarrhea caused by bacteria and
parasites is often called traveler's diarrhea. Clostridium difficile is another type of bacteria
that can cause serious infections that cause diarrhea, and it can occur after a course of
antibiotics or during a hospitalization.

 Medications. Many medications, such as antibiotics, can cause diarrhea. Antibiotics

destroy both good and bad bacteria, which can disturb the natural balance of bacteria in
your intestines. Other drugs that cause diarrhea are cancer drugs and antacids with
magnesium.

 Lactose intolerance. Lactose is a sugar found in milk and other dairy products. People
who have difficulty digesting lactose have diarrhea after eating dairy products. Lactose
intolerance can increase with age because levels of the enzyme that helps digest lactose
drop after childhood.

 Fructose. Fructose is a sugar found naturally in fruits and honey. It's sometimes added as
a sweetener to certain beverages. In people who have trouble digesting fructose, it can
lead to diarrhea.

 Artificial sweeteners. Sorbitol and mannitol — artificial sweeteners found in chewing gum
and other sugar-free products — can cause diarrhea in some otherwise healthy people.

 Surgery. Abdominal or gallbladder removal surgeries can sometimes cause diarrhea.

 Other digestive disorders. Chronic diarrhea has a number of other causes, such as
Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, microscopic colitis and irritable bowel
syndrome.
Cholera

Cholera is a bacterial disease usually spread through contaminated water. Cholera

causes severe diarrhea and dehydration. Left untreated, cholera can be fatal in a matter
of hours, even in previously healthy people.

Modern sewage and water treatment have virtually eliminated cholera in industrialized
countries. The last major outbreak in the United States occurred in 1911. But cholera is
still present in Africa, Southeast Asia and Haiti. The risk of cholera epidemic is highest
when poverty, war or natural disasters force people to live in crowded conditions without
adequate sanitation.

Cholera is easily treated. Death results from severe dehydration that can be prevented
with a simple and inexpensive rehydration solution.

Symptoms

Most people exposed to the cholera bacterium (Vibrio cholerae) don't become ill and
never know they've been infected. Yet because they shed cholera bacteria in their stool
for seven to 14 days, they can still infect others through contaminated water. Most
symptomatic cases of cholera cause mild or moderate diarrhea that's often hard to
distinguish from diarrhea caused by other problems.

Only about 1 in 10 infected people develops more-serious signs and symptoms of

cholera, usually within a few days of infection.

 Diarrhea. Cholera-related diarrhea comes on suddenly and may quickly cause dangerous
fluid loss — as much as a quart (about 1 liter) an hour. Diarrhea due to cholera often has a
pale, milky appearance that resembles water in which rice has been rinsed (rice-water
stool).

 Nausea and vomiting. Occurring especially in the early stages of cholera, vomiting may
persist for hours at a time.

 Dehydration. Dehydration can develop within hours after the onset of cholera
symptoms. Depending on how many body fluids have been lost, dehydration can
range from mild to severe. A loss of 10 percent or more of total body weight
indicates severe dehydration.

Signs and symptoms of cholera dehydration include irritability, lethargy, sunken

eyes, a dry mouth, extreme thirst, dry and shriveled skin that's slow to bounce
back when pinched into a fold, little or no urine output, low blood pressure, and an
irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia).
Causes

A bacterium called Vibrio cholerae causes cholera infection. However, the deadly
effects of the disease are the result of a potent toxin called CTX that the bacterium
produce in the small intestine. CTX binds to the intestinal walls, where it interferes with
the normal flow of sodium and chloride. This causes the body to secrete enormous
amounts of water, leading to diarrhea and a rapid loss of fluids and salts (electrolytes).

Contaminated water supplies are the main source of cholera infection, although raw
shellfish, uncooked fruits and vegetables, and other foods also can harbor V. cholerae.

Cholera bacteria have two distinct life cycles — one in the environment and one in
humans.
Dysentery

Dysentery is an infectious disease associated with with severe diarrhea.

In the United States, signs and symptoms are normally mild and usually
disappear within a few days. Most people will not seek medical attention.

If a person seeks medical help for dysentery in the U.S., however, the
authorities must be informed. It is a notifiable disease.

Each year worldwide, there are between 120 million and 165 million cases
of Shigella infection, of which 1 million are fatal. Over 60 percent of these
fatalities are children under 5 years old in developing countries.
SymptomsThe symptoms of dysentery range from mild to
severe, largely depending on the quality of sanitation in the areas where
infection has spread.

In developed countries, signs and symptoms of dysentery tend to be milder

than in developing nations or tropical areas.

Mild symptoms include:

 a slight stomach-ache
 cramping
 diarrhea

These usually appear from 1 to 3 days after infection, and the patient recovers
within a week.

Some people also develop lactose intolerance, which can last for a long time,
sometimes years.

Symptoms of bacillary dysentery

Symptoms tend to appear within 1 to 3 days of infection. There is normally a

mild stomach ache and diarrhea, but no blood or mucus in the feces. Diarrhea
may be frequent to start with.

Less commonly, may beTrusted Source:

 blood or mucus in the feces

 intense abdominal pain
 fever
  nausea
 vomiting

Causes
The World Health Organization (WHO) identifiesTrusted Source two main types of
dysentery.

Bacillary dysentery, or shigellosis

This type produces the most severe symptoms. It is caused by the Shigella bacillus.

Poor hygiene is the main source. Shigellosis can also spread because of tainted
food.

In Western Europe and the U.S., it is the most common type of dysentery in people
who have not visited the tropics shortly before infection.

Amoebic dysentery, or amoebiasis

This type is caused by Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica), an amoeba.

The amoebae group together to form a cyst, and these cysts emerge from the body
in human feces.

In areas of poor sanitation, the amoebae can contaminate food and water and infect
other humans, as they can survive for long periods outside the body.

They can also linger on people's hands after using the bathroom. Good hygiene
practice reduces the risk of spreading infection.

It is more common in the tropics, but it sometimes occurs in parts of rural Canada.