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dysentery
(disŽәn-ter″e)
any of a number of disorders marked by inflammation of the intestine, especially the colon, characterized by frequent and fluid diarrhea, abdominal pain, and straining at defecation, often with blood and mucus in the feces. The causative agent may be chemical irritants, bacteria, protozoa, viruses, or parasitic worms. adj., dysenterŽic., adj.

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