Which organism is most associated with rice-water stools and the most severe dehydration?

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Prepare for the NBME Microbiology Test. Study with flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each query comes with hints and detailed explanations. Ace your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which organism is most associated with rice-water stools and the most severe dehydration?

Explanation:
Cholera toxin drives a profuse, noninflammatory watery diarrhea, leading to rice-water stools and rapid, severe dehydration. The toxin activates Gs proteins in enterocytes, raising intracellular cAMP and causing massive chloride and water secretion into the intestinal lumen. This results in huge fluid loss with little blood or leukocytes in the stool, so dehydration can be profound if not treated. Other organisms listed tend to cause inflammatory diarrhea with blood or pus or fever, not the characteristic rice-water stool pattern. Therefore, the organism most associated with rice-water stools and the most severe dehydration is Vibrio cholerae.

Cholera toxin drives a profuse, noninflammatory watery diarrhea, leading to rice-water stools and rapid, severe dehydration. The toxin activates Gs proteins in enterocytes, raising intracellular cAMP and causing massive chloride and water secretion into the intestinal lumen. This results in huge fluid loss with little blood or leukocytes in the stool, so dehydration can be profound if not treated. Other organisms listed tend to cause inflammatory diarrhea with blood or pus or fever, not the characteristic rice-water stool pattern. Therefore, the organism most associated with rice-water stools and the most severe dehydration is Vibrio cholerae.

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