Anorexia nervosa facts Anorexia nervosa is a a psychiatric condition, which is part of a group of eating disorders. The cause of anorexia has not been definitively established, but self-esteem and body-image issues, societ...

What is arsenic? Arsenic is a grey-appearing chemical element (atomic number 33, symbol As in the periodic table) also termed a metalloid. Arsenic can exist in a metallic state in three forms (yellow, black, and gray; with gray predominati...

Like many people with chronic ailments, sufferers of chronic arthritis are potentially vulnerable to proponents of heavily marketed "cure-all" treatments. These "quick fix" treatments are promoted as having great benefits, but in reality have no r...

Cholera is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It is typically spread through contaminated water or food and can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration. Cholera is a potentially life-threatening illness if not treated pro...

Colitis means inflammation of the colon. The colon, also known as the large intestine or large bowel, constitutes the last part of the digestive tract. The colon is a long, muscular tube that receives digested food from the small intestine. It rem...

Collagenous colitis is a rare digestive disorder that primarily affects females and typically becomes apparent during middle age. The disorder is characterized by inflammatory changes of the mucous membranes (mucosa) of the colon (colitis) and abn...

Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease caused by microscopic parasites, Cryptosporidium, that can live in the intestine of humans and animals and is passed in the stool of an infected person or animal. Both the disease and the parasite are commo...

Travelers' diarrhea facts Travelers' diarrhea is a gastrointestinal illness that occurs in travelers. Travelers' diarrhea usually is caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria or, less commonly, with parasites or vir...

Travelers' diarrhea facts Travelers' diarrhea is a gastrointestinal illness that occurs in travelers. Travelers' diarrhea usually is caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria or, less commonly, with parasites or vir...

Definition of gastroenteritis Gastroenteritis (often referred to as the "stomach flu," however, it is not related to the influenza virus. Gastroenteritis is a nonspecific term for various inflammatory problems in the gastrointestinal tract...

Tropical Sprue is a rare digestive disease in which the small intestine's ability to absorb nutrients is impaired (malabsorption). Consequently, nutritional deficiencies and abnormalities in the mucous lining of the small intestine may be present....

Bartter's syndrome (BS) is a group of conditions involving enlargement of certain kidney cells, blood that is more alkaline than normal, high levels of potassium and chloride in the urine, loss of potassium from the kidneys (renal potassium wastin...

Bartter's syndrome (BS) is a group of conditions involving enlargement of certain kidney cells, blood that is more alkaline than normal, high levels of potassium and chloride in the urine, loss of potassium from the kidneys (renal potassium wastin...

Lamellar ichthyosis is a rare genetic skin disorder. In lamellar ichthyosis, the skin cells are produced at a normal rate, but they do not separate normally at the surface of the outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) and are not shed as quickl...

Bartter's syndrome (BS) is a group of conditions involving enlargement of certain kidney cells, blood that is more alkaline than normal, high levels of potassium and chloride in the urine, loss of potassium from the kidneys (renal potassium wastin...

A norovirus is a small virus that contains RNA and is surrounded by a protein coating. By sequencing the RNA, scientists have discovered that there are many different types of norovirus. Originally, strains were named based on the city in which th...

Rotavirus is a highly contagious virus that causes inflammation of the stomach and intestines, leading to symptoms such as severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain. It is a common cause of gastroenteritis in infants and young children,...

Short bowel syndrome is a rare condition in which the small intestine is significantly shorter than normal, leading to malabsorption of nutrients and fluids. This can result from surgical removal of a portion of the small intestine, congenital def...

Travelers' diarrhea is defined by most experts as three or more unformed stools in a 24 hour time period, passed by a person who is traveling. Travelers' diarrhea is commonly accompanied by abdominal cramps, nausea, and bloating. Travelers' diarrh...

Gilbert syndrome is a mild genetic liver disorder in which the body cannot properly process bilirubin, a yellowish waste product that is formed when old or worn out red blood cells are broken down (hemolysis). Individuals with Gilbert syndrome hav...