Diarrhea

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Diarrhea (in American English) or diarrhoea (in British English) is a condition in which the sufferer has frequent watery, loose bowel movements.

Many things can cause diarrhea, which can make diagnosis complex. Acute diarrhea is usually related to a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection. Chronic diarrhea is usually related to functional disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease.

• Bacterial infections. Several types of bacteria consumed through contaminated food or water can cause diarrhea. Common culprits include Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, and Escherichia coli (E. coli).
• Viral infections. Many viruses cause diarrhea, including rotavirus, Norwalk virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, and viral hepatitis.
• Food intolerances. Some people are unable to digest food components such as artificial sweeteners and lactose—the sugar found in milk.
• Parasites. Parasites can enter the body through food or water and settle in the digestive system. Parasites that cause diarrhea include Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, and Cryptosporidium.
• Reaction to medicines. Antibiotics, blood pressure medications, cancer drugs, and antacids containing magnesium can all cause diarrhea.
• Intestinal diseases. Inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, Crohn’s disease, and celiac disease often lead to diarrhea.
• Functional bowel disorders. Diarrhea can be a symptom of irritable bowel syndrome.

The Complete List of Causes of Diarrhea

• Lactose intolerance
• Pancreatic disease
• Short-bowel syndrome
• Postgastrectomy syndrome
• Hyperthyroidism
• Cholestasis
• Celiac disease (gluten intolerance)
• Other malabsorption syndromes
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Infectious diseases
  • Viral Infection
    • Norwalk Virus
    • Rotavirus
    • Adenoviruses
  • Bacterial Infection
    • Salmonella
    • Shigella
    • Campylobacter
    • Vibrio cholerae
    • Entero-Aggregative Escherichia coli
    • Entero-Toxic Escherichia coli
    • Yersinia enterocolitica
    • Vibrio parahemolyticus
  • Protozoal Infection
    • Giardia lamblia
    • Entamoeba histolytica
    • Blastocystis
    • Dientamoeba fragilis
    • Cryptosporidium
    • Isospora
    • Cyclospora
    • Toxoplasmosis
    • Malaria
  • Multicellular Parasitic Diseases
    • Ascaris
    • Trichuris
    • Strongyloides
    • Filariasis
    • Toxocara
    • Echinococcosis
    • Cysticercosis
    • Tapeworms
    • Trematoda - Intestinal, lung, liver flukes
    • Schistosoma
    • Hookworm, pinworm
  • Fungal Diseases
    • Candida
• Ischemic colitis
• Radiation colitis
• Neoplasia
• Secretory diarrhea
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Laxative abuse
• Congenital syndromes (chloridorrhea)
• Bacterial toxins
• Drugs and poisons
• Neuroendocrine tumors
• Neoplasia
• Addison's disease
• Epidemic secretory Brainerd diarrhea

   * Abdominal abscess
   * Abdominal Cancer
   * Achlorhydria
   * Acquired angioedema
   * Acquired angioedema, type 1
   * Acquired angioedema, type 2
   * Acrodermatitis Enteropathica
   * Acrodynia
   * Acute Appendicitis
   * Acute Gastritis
   * Acute kidney failure
   * Acute Renal Failure
   * Acute tin poisoning
   * Acute zinc toxicity
   * Addison's Disease
   * Adenophorea Infections
   * Adenoviridae Infections
   * Adenovirus infection in immunocompromised patients
   * Adrenal hyperplasia, congenital type 3
   * Adverse reaction
   * AIDS
   * AIDS-Related Complex
   * Alcohol Withdrawal
   * Alcohol-Induced Disorders
   * Alcoholic intoxication
   * Allergic Disorders
   * Allergies
   * Amebiasis
   * Amoebiasis
   * Amyloidosis
   * Amyloidosis AL
   * Anaphylaxis
   * Ancylostoma duodenale
   * Anguillulosis
   * Anxiety-tension syndrome
   * Aromatic amino acid decarboxylase deficiency
   * Arsenic poisoning
   * Aspartylglycosaminuria
   * Astrovirus
   * Athabaskan severe combined immunodeficiency
   * Attenuated familial polyposis
   * Autoimmune diseases
   * Autoimmune enteropathy
   * Baber's syndrome
   * Bacterial digestive infections
   * Bacterial toxic-shock syndrome
   * Banti's syndrome
   * Bartter's syndrome, antenatal type 1
   * Bartters syndrome, antenatal , type 2
   * Behcet's Disease
   * Biliary Atresia
   * Biliary tract cancer
   * Biotinidase deficiency
   * Blastocystis hominis
   * Blind loop syndrome
   * Boron overuse
   * Botulism food poisoning
   * Bowel conditions
   * Brainerd diarrhea
   * Brennemann's syndrome
   * Brown-Symmers disease
   * Carbamate insecticide poisoning
   * Carcinoid syndrome
   * Carnitine overuse
   * Celiac Disease
   * Cephalothoracic progressive lipodystrophy
   * Chemical pneumonia
   * Chromosome 16q, partial deletion
   * Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
   * Chronic Granulomatous Disease
   * Chronic Myeloproliferative Disorders
   * Chronic vitamin A toxicity
   * Ciguatera poisoning
   * Classic galactosemia
   * Clostridium perfringens food poisoning
   * Clostridium sordellii
   * Colchicine toxicity
   * Colitis
   * Colonic Inertia
   * Colonic malakoplakia
   * Colorectal cancer
   * Colorectal Polyps
   * Common migraine
   * Common Variable Immunodeficiency
   * Congenital adrenal hyperplasia - sodium-wasting form
   * Congenital disorder of glycosylation type 1B
   * Congenital short bowel
   * Congenital sucrose-isomaltose malabsorption
   * Congenital Toxoplasmosis
   * Constipation
   * Copper toxicity
   * Cornelia de Lange syndrome 2
   * Cree leukoencephalopathy
   * Crohn's disease
   * Cronkhite-Canada disease
   * Cryptosporiosis
   * Cutaneous mastocytosis
   * Cutaneous photosensitivity colitis, lethal
   * Cyclic vomiting syndrome
   * Cyclosporine toxicity
   * Cytomegalic Inclusion Body Disease
   * Darvocet withdrawal
   * Deal-Barratt-Dillon syndrome
   * Degos Disease
   * Diabetes Insipidus
   * Diabetic neuropathy
   * Diarrhea - polyendocrinopathy - infections, X-linked
   * Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli
   * Dibasic aminoaciduria 2
   * Dientamoeba fragilis
   * Diffuse systemic sclerosi
   * Digestive Diseases
   * Digestive duplication
   * Digestive system cancer
   * Dilaudid withdrawal
   * Dipylidium
   * Dipylidium caninum infection
   * Disseminated infection with mycobacterium avium complex
   * Dissociative disorder
   * Distomatosis
   * Diverticular Disease
   * Dracunculiasis
   * Dressler (D.)syndrome
   * Ebola
   * EGE
   * Egg Hypersensitivity
   * Ehrlichiosis
   * End Stage Liver Failure
   * Endometriosis
   * Entamoeba histolytica
   * Enteritis
   * Enterocele
   * Enterocolitis
   * Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia Coli Infection
   * Enterovirus antenatal infection
   * Envenomization by the Martinique lancehead viper
   * Eosinophilic enteropathy, pattern II
   * Erythroderma desquamativa of Leiner
   * Escherichia coli O157:H7
   * Evening Primrose oil - adverse effects
   * Familial amyloid polyneuropathy
   * Familial polyposis - classical
   * Familial polyposis, autosomal recessive
   * Familial visceral myopathy
   * Fanconi-ichthyosis-dysmorphism
   * Fascioliasis
   * Fasciolopsiasis
   * Favism
   * Fecal impaction
   * Fecal incontinence
   * Fever
   * Flavivirus
   * Fluke infections
   * Folic acid toxicity
   * Food allergies
   * Food intolerances
   * Food poisoning
   * Functioning pancreatic endocrine tumor
   * Galactosemia
   * Galactosemia I
   * Galactosemia III
   * Gardner syndrome
   * Gastrinoma
   * Gastritis
   * Gastritis, familial giant hypertrophic
   * Gastro-enteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor
   * Gastroenteritis
   * Gastrointestinal amyloidosis
   * Gastrointestinal neoplasm
   * Ginseng overuse
   * Glanders
   * Glucosamine - adverse effects
   * Glucose-galactose malabsorption
   * Glutathione Synthetase Deficiency
   * Glénard syndrome
   * Gnathostoma Infection
   * Graft-versus-host disease - acute
   * Groin Hernia
   * Hantavirosis
   * Hantavirus
   * Headache-free migraine
   * Helminth infections
   * Helminthiasis
   * Hemolytic uremic syndrome
   * Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, familial, 1
   * Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, familial, 2
   * Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, familial, 3
   * Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, familial, 4
   * Hemorragic fever with renal syndrome
   * Hepatitis
   * Hepatitis A
   * Hepatitis B
   * Hepatitis C
   * Hepatitis D
   * Hepatitis E
   * Hepatitis X
   * Hepatorenal tyrosinemia
   * Hereditary amyloidosis
   * Hereditary angioedema, type 1
   * Hereditary angioedema, type 2
   * Hereditary angioedema, type III
   * Hereditary pancreatitis
   * Heroin dependence
   * Heroin withdrawal
   * Heterophyiasis
   * Hirschsprung's disease
   * HIV/AIDS
   * Hookworm
   * Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis
   * Human monocytic ehrlichiosis
   * Hydrocodone withdrawal
   * Hymenolepiasis
   * Hyper IgM syndrome 1
   * Hyper IgM syndrome 3
   * Hyper IgM syndrome 4
   * Hyper-IgD syndrome
   * Hyper-IgM Syndrome
   * Hyperimmunoglobinemia D with recurrent fever
   * Hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, familial, 1
   * Hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, familial, 2
   * Hyperthyroidism
   * Hypoadrenocorticism - hypoparathyroidism - moniliasis
   * Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome
   * Idiopathic intestinal pseudoobstruction
   * Idiopathic sclerosing mesenteritis
   * Immunoglobulinic amyloidosis
   * Immunoproliferative diseases
   * Inborn amino acid metabolism disorder
   * Incontinence
   * Inflammatory bowel disease
   * Insect parasite conditions
   * Insect sting allergies
   * Intestinal Conditions
   * Intestinal Flu
   * Intestinal lymphangiectasis
   * Intestinal pseudoobstruction chronic idiopathic
   * Intrinsic factor, congenital deficiency of
   * Invasive group A Streptococcal disease
   * Iron poisoning
   * Irritable bowel syndrome
   * Isosporiasis
   * Isosporosiasis
   * Juvenile polyposis of infancy
   * Juvenile polyposis syndrome, infantile form
   * Katayama fever
   * Keratosis palmoplantaris - adenocarcinoma of the colon
   * Lactose Intolerance
   * Lassa fever
   * Legionnaires' disease
   * Leiner Disease
   * Leptospirosis
   * Leukocytoclastic angiitis - systemic
   * Levy-Yeboa Syndrome
   * Lipoid congenital adrenal hyperplasia
   * Listeriosis
   * Liver conditions
   * Lortab withdrawal
   * Lymphangiectasies and lymphedema Hennekam type
   * Lymphangiectasis
   * Lymphomatoid Granulomatosis
   * Malabsorption
   * Malonic aciduria
   * Marburg virus
   * Mastocytosis
   * Megaloblastic anemia
   * Melioidosis
   * Meningitis
   * Mercury poisoning
   * Mesothelioma, adult malignant
   * Mesothelioma, adult malignant - peritoneal
   * Metabolic disorders
   * Metagonimiasis
   * Methionine malabsorption syndrome
   * Methotrexate toxicity
   * Middle ear infection
   * Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalopathy syndrome
   * Mixed connective tissue disease
   * Morphine withdrawal
   * Mucoepithelial dysplasia, Witkop type
   * Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1
   * Mycobacterium avium Complex
   * Mycobacterium avium complex infection
   * Myiasis
   * Ménétrier's disease
   * Neonatal bacterial meningitis
   * Neonatal sepsis
   * Neuroblastoma
   * Neurofibromatosis, familial intestinal
   * Nezelof's syndrome
   * Norwalk gastroenteritis
   * Norwalk-like viruses
   * Obal syndrome
   * Obstructive Jaundice
   * Ogilvie's syndrome
   * OHSS
   * Omenn syndrome
   * Opioid withdrawal
   * Opisthorchiasis
   * Opium withdrawal
   * Ovarian Cancer
   * OxyContin withdrawal
   * Pancreatic adenoma
   * Paragonimiases - lung infection
   * Paragonimiasis
   * Paraneoplastic Autoimmune Syndromes
   * Peanut allergies
   * Peanut Allergy
   * Pellagra
   * Pelvic abscess
   * Penicillin allergy
   * Periodic hyperlysinemia
   * Pernicious anemia
   * Phenol sulfotransferase deficiency
   * Plant poisoning - Angel's trumpet (D. suaveolans)
   * Plant poisoning - Castor bean (Ricinus communis)
   * Plant poisoning - daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus)
   * Plant poisoning - holly (Ilex sp.)
   * Plant poisoning - Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)
   * Plant poisoning - mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum)
   * Plant poisoning - pokeweed (Phytolacca Americana)
   * Plant poisoning - potato (Solanum tuberosum)
   * Plant poisoning - Rosary pea (Abrus precatorious)
   * Plant poisoning - Water hemlock (Cicuta sp.)
   * Poisoning
   * Pollen allergy
   * Portal thrombosis
   * Portal vein thrombosis
   * Portuguese type amyloidosis
   * Postoperative Abdominal Wound Dehiscence
   * Powell-Buist-Stenzel syndrome
   * Primary agammaglobulinemia
   * Primary immunodeficiency disorders
   * Primary tubular proximal acidosis
   * Protozoan Conditions
   * Proximal Renal Tubular Acidosis
   * Proximal tubulopathy - diabetes mellitus - cerebellar ataxia
   * Psyllium - adverse effects
   * Ptomaine food poisoning
   * Q fever
   * Radiation sickness
   * Rambaud-Galian syndrome
   * Rapid gastric emptying
   * Rectal cancer
   * Rectal conditions
   * Refsum disease, infantile form
   * Reiter’s syndrome
   * Rhabditida Infections
   * Ritter syndrome
   * Rocky Mountain spotted fever
   * Rotavirus
   * Roundworm
   * Sakamoto disease
   * Salmonella enteritidis
   * Salmonella food poisoning
   * Sarcosporidiosis
   * SARS
   * Schistosomiasis
   * SCID
   * Sclerosing Mesenteritis
   * Scombrotoxic fish poisoning
   * Secernentea Infections
   * Selenium - overuse
   * Serotonin Syndrome
   * Severe combined immunodeficiency, T- B+ due to JAK3 deficiency
   * Severe congenital neutropenia
   * Shigellosis
   * Short Bowel Syndrome
   * Sickle cell crisis
   * Smith disease
   * Smoking stools syndrome
   * Spencer disease
   * Sphingolipidosis
   * Spira syndrome
   * Spirurida Infections
   * Spleen Cancer
   * Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia - nephrotic syndrome
   * Sprue
   * St. Anthony's fire
   * Stachybotrys chartarum
   * Staphylococcal food poisoning
   * Staphylococcal infection
   * Staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome
   * Staphylococcus aureus food poisoning
   * Stomach cancer
   * Stomach Conditions
   * Streptococcal Infections
   * Strongyloidiasis
   * Subacute myelo-optico neuropathy syndrome
   * Subacute Thyroiditis
   * Substance Withdrawal Syndrome
   * Sudden Digestive Conditions
   * Thymus Cancer
   * Thymus disorders
   * Thyroid cancer, familial medullary
   * Toxemia
   * Toxic epidermal necrolysis
   * Toxic Shock Syndrome
   * Traveler's diarrhea
   * Trichinosis
   * Tularemia
   * Turcot syndrome
   * Typhoid fever
   * Ultram withdrawal
   * Valinemia
   * Vanadium - adverse effect
   * Vancomycin resistant enterococcal bacteremia
   * Vasculitis hypersensitivity
   * Venezuelan equine encephalitis
   * Vibrio
   * Vibrio Infections
   * Vibrio mimicus food poisoning
   * Vibrio vulnificus
   * Vibrio vulnificus infection
   * Vicodin withdrawal
   * Vipoma
   * Viral digestive infections
   * Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
   * Viral Hepatitis
   * Viral meningitis
   * Visceral myopathy familial external ophthalmoplegia
   * Visceral neuropathy, familial, autosomal dominant
   * Vitamin C toxicity
   * Vitamin D - adverse effects
   * Von Gierke disease IB
   * Waldmann disease
   * Water-skier colon
   * Waterhouse-Friederichsen syndrome
   * Weil's syndrome
   * West nile encephalitis
   * West Nile fever
   * Western equine encephalitis
   * Wheat intolerance
   * Whipple's Disease
   * Whipworm
   * Whole-body acute irradiation - gastrointestinal syndrome
   * Whooping Cough
   * Wolman disease
   * Worm conditions
   * X-linked agammaglobulinaemia
   * Yellow fever
   * Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
   * Yersiniosis
   * Yorifuji Okuno syndrome
   * ZAP70 deficiency
   * Zinc deficiency
   * Zollinger-Ellison syndrome 

References

• Kruszka PS, Hall LW (2002). "Clinical inquiries. What is the differential diagnosis of chronic diarrhea in immunocompetent patients?". The Journal of family practice. 51 (3): 212. PMID 11978230.