Peasoup' diarrhea is a feature of?

Appeared in: JIPMER Nursing Officer-2017

Explanation

Typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella Typhi, is a systemic illness that can present with gastrointestinal symptoms.
In the later stages of the illness (second to third week), a characteristic diarrhea known as "pea soup" diarrhea may occur.
This stool is described as greenish-yellow, watery, and foul-smelling, resembling pea soup.
This specific clinical sign is a classic hallmark taught to help differentiate typhoid from other enteric fevers.

Option B: Rota virus causes severe watery diarrhea, especially in children, but it is not characteristically green or described as 'pea soup'.
Option C: Gastritis is the inflammation of the stomach lining. Its main symptoms are upper abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. It does not cause a specific type of diarrhea.
Option D: Cholera is famously associated with 'rice water' stool, not 'pea soup' diarrhea. Rice water stool is profuse, watery, and contains flecks of white mucus.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Clinical manifestations of gastrointestinal infections as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses must be skilled in assessing and documenting stool characteristics (color, consistency, volume, odor, presence of blood or mucus) as it provides vital clues for differential diagnosis of infectious diseases.
Identifying 'pea soup' diarrhea should prompt the nurse to consider typhoid fever, implement appropriate enteric precautions to prevent transmission, and monitor the patient for complications like intestinal perforation or hemorrhage.
What if? If the patient presented with profuse, watery stools that were pale with white flecks, the primary suspicion would shift from Typhoid to Cholera. The immediate nursing priority would be aggressive intravenous fluid resuscitation to combat severe dehydration and hypovolemic shock.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key phrase in the question: "'Peasoup' diarrhea". This is a classic, specific clinical sign.
Access your knowledge of infectious diseases and their hallmark symptoms.
Systematically evaluate each option:
Does Typhoid cause 'pea soup' diarrhea? (Recall: Yes, this is a classic association).
Does Rota virus cause 'pea soup' diarrhea? (Recall: No, it causes watery diarrhea).
Does Gastritis cause diarrhea? (Recall: No, it's primarily an upper GI issue with pain/vomiting).

Concept Tested & Keywords

QOZ2_4qRQ0fGGonrNi8P90

E6 Pathology- ROBBINS & COTRAN PATHOLOGIC BASIS OF DISEASE 10TH Ed pp. 799-801, 796-798

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 2 p. 147-149

Practise the full JIPMER Nursing Officer-2017

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