Gastrointestinal diseases are pathologies that develop in the stomach or intestines and can appear for different reasons, whether or not of infectious origin.
We’ve all had a headache at some point in our lives, right? Bloating, diarrhea or even nausea and vomiting are fairly common signs of various conditions, whether bacterial or viral infections, intolerances, autoimmune imbalances and many other events.
In high-income countries, most acute gastrointestinal conditions remain an anecdote, because a good health system and abundant food allow us to recover quickly. Today we will show you the other side of the coin, because, in certain underdeveloped regions, gastrointestinal infections are the second most common cause of death in the population.
Whether for an exercise of empathy or for simple desire for knowledge, today we present the 5 most common gastrointestinal diseases and their effects on different population sectors in different parts of the world. Don’t miss them.
- We recommend you read: “The 3 differences between infectious and non-infectious diseases”
What is a gastrointestinal disease?
As obvious as it may seem, defining the term is the first step before entering fully into variants and numbers. A gastrointestinal disease is one that affects the stomach to the intestines in some way.
The digestive system allows us to absorb nutrients from the food we eat daily, which is why a mismatch in this system usually results in weight loss, vomiting, fatigue, weakness, diarrhea and many other characteristic signs. From an infection to cancer, through autoimmune disorders or food allergies, the causes of intestinal discomfort are multiple and varied.
How are gastrointestinal diseases classified?
Once we have circumscribed the term and we have briefly named its possible causative agents, it is time to dive fully into the 5 most common gastrointestinal diseases. Stay with us, for we enter through the front door.
1. Foodborne Diseases (STDs)
We’ve all felt bad about food at some point, but from there to a gastrointestinal infection there’s a big step. Foodborne Diseases (ETAs) manifest themselves in 95% of cases with diarrheal symptoms, which, according to the World Health Organization, have an excessive impact on the population of the most disadvantaged regions. These data will surprise you:
- Foodborne Diseases affect 1 in 10 people at any given time and place.
- In disadvantaged regions, diarrhoeal infections are the second most common cause of death, second only to respiratory infections.
- 1,700 million infants suffer from diarrheal symptoms annually, of which more than 500,000 end up dying.
- These diseases cause the loss of 33 million years of healthy life globally.
Surprising, right? What for us can be a bad week, for a child in a low-income region can mean death. Diarrheal symptoms (defined as 3 or more watery stools per day) arecaused by more physiologically advanced bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasites. In addition, these diarrheas can be accompanied by abdominal distension, fecal blood, fever, malaise and long-term chronic malnutrition, among many other things.
2. Peptic ulcer
A peptic ulcer is defined as anopen lesion in the form of a deeper or deeper wound in the most superficial layer (called mucosa) that lines the digestive tract, which can be located in the stomach or duodenum. The annual incidence of peptic ulcer disease is estimated between 0.1 and 0.3% of the general population, being more common in middle-aged and elderly men.
Things change when we look at patients infected with Helicobacter pylori bacteria, as they have a 10-20% chance of developing a peptic ulcer throughout their lives. This bacterium is widespread in the general population and most infected people have no symptoms, which is why intuiting without prior testing if a patient is predisposed to suffer a peptic ulcer is quite complex.
This disease manifests itself with clear symptoms: abdominal discomfort, presence of black blood in the stool, gastric acidity that calms down with food, nausea and vomiting.
- To know more: “The 6 types of ulcers (and their characteristics)”
3. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Inflammatory bowel disease encompasses two markedly different pathologies: ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD). Both are chronic (that is, for life), of unknown etiology andthere is no definitive treatment for them, but to alleviate the most common signs.
We are talking about a series of pathologies that occur with an inflammatory picture in different portions of the gastrointestinal tract that, in addition, are on the rise in the general population. The highest annual incidence of Crohn’s disease is found in North America (20.2 per 100,000, person/year); while the annual incidence of ulcerative colitis is higher in Europe (24.3 per 100000 per person/year). These data show us that the percentage of people affected with IBD has increased in the last 50 years in the West.
As in the previous cases, this series of pathologies usually manifest with diarrhea, fevers, fatigue, abdominal pain and cramps, blood in the stool, decreased appetite and unintentional weight loss. As you can see, many gastrointestinal diseases share symptoms.
4. Colorectal cancer
We are in the final portion of the digestive system and we get serious, because it is estimated thateach year more than 1.8 million cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed in the world, most of them in the male gender. In many regions this type of cancer is the third most diagnosed, only surpassed by those such as lung or breast cancer.
One of the most obvious signs of this disease is the presence of blood in the stool, which is often ignored by many patients for fear of receiving news they do not want to know. Luckily, when colorectal cancer is diagnosed early, the prognosis is positive. In fact, survival is around 90%. If this is your case or you suspect it may be, don’t be afraid: speak up. Quick action can save your life.
5. Diverticulosis and diverticulitis
We close this extensive tour of the world of gastrointestinal discomforts with diverticulitis, that is, the inflammation of small bulging pouches located at the level of the colon (condition known as diverticulosis). We are facing the most frequent colic disease in the West, as itaffects up to 10% of the general population, a value that amounts to 50% in the age group over 50 years of age (especially in women).
Inflamed diverticula manifest themselves with characteristic pain and discomfort, especially in the lower left part of the abdomen, as well as nausea, fever (in case of infection), abdominal tenderness, constipation and, less often, diarrhea.
Lifestyle can greatly favor the appearance of diverticula:smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, a diet high in animal fatsbut low in fiber and certain medications are clear risk factors for this disease.
Notes and considerations
As you may have seen in these lines, most gastrointestinal diseases manifest themselves with abdominal distension, nausea, localized pain and acute symptoms that recur over time. In cases such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or diverticulitis, it is necessary to live with it, although there are accessory treatments to alleviate the most annoying symptoms of these pathologies.
On the other hand, infectious diseases, peptic ulcers or colorectal cancer require immediate attention. Both a cancer and a bacterial colony can spread throughout the rest of the body, which is why acting quickly in these cases becomes truly essential.
In general, if you have any of these mild symptoms listed here for two weeks or more, it’s time to see your doctor.
Summary
Who knew that diarrhea would be the second most common cause of death in low-income countries before reading these lines? Did you imagine that more than 500,000 children’s lives were lost annually due to poor food hygiene and lack of disinfected water?
Of course, from the West we conceive of an intestinal pathology as a severe disorder: Crohn’s, cancer or ulcers, for example. The reality is thatthe clearest enemy is bacteriaand other microorganisms found in food because, in infants with previous problems residing in impoverished countries, a severe diarrheal disease can end their lives without many difficulties.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.
