dysentery

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dysentery (dis-ĕn-tri) n. an infection of the intestinal tract causing severe diarrhoea with blood and mucus. amoebic d. (amoebiasis) dysentery caused by the protozoan Entamoeba histolytica. It is mainly confined to tropical and subtropical countries. bacillary d. dysentery caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella. Epidemics are common in overcrowded insanitary conditions. Compare cholera.

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