Acute diarrhoeal diseases are a major global public health problem, especially in developing countries. Each year, 750 million children under 5 years of age suffer from acute diarrhoeal diseases, resulting in over 5 million deaths, with 3 children dying every minute. In India alone, acute diarrhoeal diseases cause 1.5 million deaths in children under 5 each year. The main causes include infections, infestations, malnutrition, and metabolic disorders. The effects of acute diarrhoeal diseases include hypovolemia due to loss of water, electrolyte imbalances due to loss of sodium, chlorides and potassium, acidosis and renal failure due to loss of bi-carbonates, muscle weakness and cardiac arrhythmias due

1. ACUTE DIARHOEAL DISEASES
DR. CHITRA CHATTERJEE
Associate Prof.
Dept. of Community Medicine

2. Definition :
• Passing of >= 3 times, loose/watery stools per
day.
• Passing once a large amount of watery stool in
children.
• Chronic Diarr. – if continues for 10-14 days.
• Dysentry – passing loose stool with blood &
mucus.

3. Magnitude of problem
• Global:
– PH problem in all developing countries
– 750 million children <5yrs suffer every yr.
– 5 million die from it every yr. at the rate of 10/min
• INDIA: 1.5 million <5 yrs dying each yr. from ADD.
-5000 deaths/ day, 3/ min.
• - 70% die following dehydration & 90% of these
deaths are preventable

4. Causes
1. Infections and infestation
2. Malnutrition.
3. Metabolic disorders(eg. Inborn error of
metabolism).
4. Drugs(Iatrogenic).
5. Allergic.
6. Psychological (nervous).
7. Idiopathic (unknown).

5. Effects
• Loss of water ---- hypovolemia
• Loss of Na & chlorides ---- electrolyte imbalance
• Loss of Bi-carbonates- Acidosis & renal failure
(<12m. Mol/l)
• Loss of K⁺ - Hypokalemia, results in ms. Weakn, cardiac
arrhythmia & paralytic ileus.
• Malnutrition – due to less intake of food..taboos,
vomitting, ↑ demand of nutrients due to biochemical
activities following infection of the intestine.