pathophysiology of infective diarrhoea
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Infective organisms are able to cause diarrhoea in a variety of ways:
- mucosal damage caused by direct attack
- toxin production after ingestion
- toxin production before ingestion
The diarrhoea itself can be:
- secretory, where deranged membrane transport results in decreased electrolyte absorption and thus decreased water absorption
- decreased absorption, itself a result of mucosal damage, osmosis, or increased gut motility
Last reviewed 06/2021