In summer and autumn, bacterial dysentery is one of the most common intestinal infectious diseases. This is because in the hot summer, gastrointestinal function is easily disrupted. Once the Shigella bacteria invade, it is easy to lose resistance to pathogens, allowing the Shigella bacteria to survive and reproduce in the intestines and produce toxins, leading to the onset of this disease. The main symptoms of this disease include abdominal discomfort or pain, vomiting, diarrhea, with more than ten bowel movements a day, or even twenty to thirty times, tenesmus (i.e., difficult or incomplete defecation with a feeling of rectal pressure), and stools mixed with mucus or even pus and blood. In severe cases, fever, cold limbs, and coma may occur. After contracting bacterial dysentery, it is important to seek timely medical treatment and strictly follow the doctor's instructions for medication.
The diet for dysentery patients should mainly consist of soft, easily digestible foods. They can eat some congee or noodles, and if necessary, they may fast for one day. Avoid fried, raw, and cold foods to reduce the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. As long as treatment is timely, care is proper, and reinfection does not occur, the patient's recovery is relatively fast.
The prevention of bacterial dysentery first involves controlling the "entry of disease through the mouth." First and foremost, it is important not to eat rotten or spoiled food, or food contaminated by flies and cockroaches. Persist in washing hands before meals and after using the toilet. Raw fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly under running water several times, or peeled before eating. Utensils should be boiled and disinfected on a regular schedule. The elderly and children should not come into contact with patients with bacterial dysentery to avoid infection. During an outbreak of this disease (or when someone in the household has bacterial dysentery), eating more garlic can have a good preventive effect.