Acute Enteritis

Acute Enteritis
In medicine, enteritis refers to inflammation of the

small intestine. It is most commonly caused by the
ingestion of substances contaminated with pathogenic
microorganisms.[1] Symptoms include abdominal
pain, cramping, diarrhea, dehydration and fever.[1]
See also inflammation of related organs of the
gastrointestinal system: gastritis (stomach),
gastroenteritis (stomach and small intestine), colitis
(large intestine), and enterocolitis (large and small
intestine).
Description
Enteritis is an inflammation of the intestine; the term
applies chiefly to the small intestine. In the context of
cancer, enteritis is a functional disorder of the large
and small bowel that occurs as a result of radiation
therapy applied to the abdomen, pelvis, or rectum. It
occurs at the onset of radiation therapy (acute
radiation enteritis) and may also reappear after
completion of the radiation treatment (chronic
enteritis).
Enteritis also occurs in connection with such
disorders as Crohn's disease and infection by such
pathogens as Helicobacter pylori. Patients who receive
hemodialysis for kidney disorders as well as cancer
patients have an increased risk of enteritis.
Causes
Radiation enteritis occurs because the large and small
intestines are sensitive to all forms of ionizing
radiation. Some areas of the gastrointestinal tract are
more sensitive to radiation than others; the colon is
more sensitive to the effects of radiation than the
small intestine, for example. Although the probability
of tumor control increases with the radiation therapy
dose, so does the probability of damage to normal
healthy tissues. Since the doses required to destroy
many tumors are very high, acute side effects to the
intestines also occur, chief among which is enteritis.
Thus, the majority of patients undergoing radiation
to the abdomen, pelvis, or rectum will show signs of
acute enteritis.
Symptoms of the disorder are observed during the
first course of radiation treatment and take about
eight weeks to become acute. Chronic radiation
enteritis may also occur months to years after a
patient has undergone a course of radiation therapy.
The symptoms include colicky abdominal pain,
bloody diarrhea, tenesmus, weight loss, nausea and
vomiting, bowel obstruction and rectal bleeding,
sometimes very severe.
Several factors influencing the occurrence and extent
of radiation enteritis have been identified. They
include the dose of radiation given to the patient, the
size of the tumor being treated, the concomitant
prescription of chemotherapy and the general state of
the patient's health. For example, enteritis will be
more severe in patients with a history of
hypertension, diabetes or inadequate nutrition.
Acute Radiation Enteritis
Acute Radiation Enteritis

Diagnosis
Radiation therapy mainly affects rapidly dividing cells such
as the cells lining the large and small bowel. An increasing
number of cells die, leading to other problems over the next
few days and weeks. Patients with acute enteritis may
complain of nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, the
frequent urge to have a bowel movement, and watery
diarrhea. With diarrhea, the gastrointestinal tract does not
function as efficiently, and fat, lactose, bile salts, and
vitamin B12 are not well absorbed. Symptoms of an inflamed
rectum—including a mucus-like discharge, rectal pain, and
rectal bleeding—may result from radiation damage to the
anus or rectum.
Symptoms of acute enteritis usually get better 2 to 3 weeks

after treatment ends.
Doctors can often diagnose radiation enteritis from a

medical history and physical examination. In some cases,
doctors may want to visually examine the bowels with
endoscopy or take a sample of fluid from the small intestine
to look for an overgrowth of bacteria in the bowel. Control
of bacterial overgrowth with medicine may help reduce
diarrhea. Tests results generally are available to the
physician in Mayo's state-of-the-art electronic medical
record within hours of testing.
Symptoms of radiation enteritis can include:
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Nausea
• Flatulence
Assessment
Patients should be examined and asked questions about the
following:
• Usual pattern of bowel movements.

• Pattern of diarrhea, including when it started;
how long it has lasted; frequency, amount, and type of
stools; and other symptoms (such as gas, cramping,
bloating, urgency, bleeding, and rectal soreness).
• Nutrition of the patient, including height and
weight, usual eating habits, any change in eating
habits, amount of fiber in the diet, and signs of
dehydration (such as poor skin tone, increased
weakness, or fatigue).
• Current level of stress, coping ability, and
changes in lifestyle caused by the enteritis.
Treatment
Treatment of acute enteritis includes treating the diarrhea,
loss of fluids, poor absorption, and stomach or rectal pain.
These symptoms usually get better with medications,
changes in diet, and rest. If symptoms become worse even
with this treatment, then cancer treatment may have to be
stopped, at least temporarily.
Medication may be prescribed, including antidiarrheals to

stop diarrhea, opioids to relieve pain, and steroid foams to
relieve rectal inflammation and irritation. If patients with
pancreatic cancer have diarrhea during radiation therapy,
they may need pancreatic enzyme replacement, because not
having enough of these enzymes can cause diarrhea.
Acute colitis
Definition:
Colitis Overview
Colitis is the term used to described inflammation of the
colon There are a variety of causes of colitis including
infections, poor blood supply, and autoimmune reactions.
The colon (large bowel or large intestine) is responsible for

collecting and storing the waste products of digestion. It is a
long muscular tube that pushes undigested food towards the
anus for eventual elimination as a bowel movement. As the
liquid mixture of undigested food makes its journey, it mixes
with mucus and normal bacteria residing in the colon. As
well, water is reabsorbed into the bloodstream, and the feces
start to solidify.
Diagnosis:
Diagnosis of colitis and its causes always begins with the

taking of the patient's history. The information the patient
provides helps the physician guide the direction for
diagnosis and treatment.
• In patients with abdominal pain and diarrhea, it

is important to find out when the symptoms began,
how long they have lasted, whether they come and go,
and what makes them better or worse. Questions may
be asked about travel because infections may arise
while traveling, particularly in undeveloped countries.
Patients often ask if the cause of symptoms is food
poisoning, but that is often a difficult question to
answer immediately.
• If the patient has blood with bowel movements
(which in general, is not normal) further questions may
be explored to screen for colon cancer or polyps.
• Food poisoning not due to bacterial infections
usually does not cause blood in the stool. Evaluation of
the body's other systems (cardiovascular, neurological,
etc.) may be necessary.
Other examinations:
2-physical examination
3-blood tests
4-imaging.
parasitic enteritis
Introduction:
There are two main types of intestinal parasites: helminths
and protozoa. Helminths are worms with many cells, and
are generally visible to the naked eye in their adult stages.
Tapeworms, pinworms, and roundworms are among the
most common helminths in the United States. In their adult
form, helminths cannot multiply in the human body.
Protozoa have only one cell, and can multiply inside the
human body, which contributes to their survival and enables
serious infections to develop. Transmission typically occurs
by fecal-oral route (for example, through contaminated food
or water). In the U.S., the most common protozoa are
giardia and cryptosporidium.
Signs and Symptoms of parasitic

enteritis:
Parasites can live within the intestines for years without
causing any symptoms. When they do, symptoms include the
following:
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Nausea or vomiting
• Gas or bloating
• Dysentery (loose stools containing blood and mucus)
• Rash or itching around the rectum or vulva
• Stomach pain or tenderness
• Feeling tired
• Weight loss
• Passing a worm in Mucus in the bowel movement
Diagnosis :
Diagnosis can be often suspected from history of prolonged
bloating or diarrhea and can be confirmed by the following
tests:
• Ova and parasites (O&P) test of the stool. The

test is often false negative so three stools from three
different days (at least two days apart) should be
tested.
• Hemoccult test may reveal blood in the stool
• Blood tests often reveal elevated eosinophilsand
IgE antibodies and lowered ferritin, hemoglobin or red
cells
• CT or biopsy are needed to find cysts in the liver,
lungs or brain
Necrotic Enteritis
Introduction
An acute or chronic enterotoxemia seen in chickens, turkeys
and ducks worldwide, caused by Clostridium perfringens and
characterised by a fibrino-necrotic enteritis, usually of the
mid- small intestine. Mortality may be 5-50%, usually
around 10%. Infection occurs by faecal-oral transmission.
Spores of the causative organism are highly resistant.
Predisposing factors include coccidiosis/coccidiasis, diet
(high Figure 25. Severe lesions of necrotic enteritis affecting
protein), in the small intestine of broilers. The sample at the bottom
ducks of the picture is still focal, the upper has formed a thick
crust of necrotic material.
possibly heavy strains, high viscosity diets (often associated
with high rye and wheat inclusions in the diet),
contaminated feed and/or water, other debilitating diseases.
Signs
• Depression.
• Ruffled feathers.
• Inappetance.
• Closed eyes.
• Immobility.
• Dark coloured diarrhoea.
• Sudden death in good condition (ducks).
Diagnosis
A presumptive diagnosis may be made based on flock
history and gross lesions Confirmation is on the observation
of abundant rods in smears from affected tissues and a good
response to specific medication, usually in less than 48
hours.

Acute Enteritis

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Acute Enteritis

In medicine, enteritis refers to inflammation of the

Acute Radiation Enteritis

Symptoms of acute enteritis usually get better 2 to 3 weeks

Doctors can often diagnose radiation enteritis from a

Symptoms of radiation enteritis can include:

• Usual pattern of bowel movements.

Medication may be prescribed, including antidiarrheals to

The colon (large bowel or large intestine) is responsible for

Diagnosis of colitis and its causes always begins with the

• In patients with abdominal pain and diarrhea, it

Signs and Symptoms of parasitic

• Ova and parasites (O&P) test of the stool. The

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