What Causes Diarrhea With A Fishy Smell?

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Fishy-smelling watery diarrhea can be caused by various factors, including Giardia infection, bacterial infections, digestive tract disorders, or food poisoning. These stools are often associated with poor sanitation and unsafe water, and can be a sign of an improper diet that causes the digestive system to work abnormally. Dysentery is usually caused by enteropathogens such as Shigella, Salmonella, Yersinia, Campylobacter, and others. Foul-smelling stool can also indicate health problems such as an infection, allergies, or colitis.

Vomiting, also known as “fish odor syndrome”, is a common cause of foul-smelling stool. In addition to severe diarrhea, cholera can cause those infected to vomit, causing more fluid loss. This condition can be caused by faulty genes that a person inherits from their parents, but this is not always the case. Foul-smelling stools often have a bad odor and may be a sign of a medical condition. Infections in the digestive system are common causes of smelly poop, and in addition to diarrhea and vomiting, foul-smelling stool is a sign of rotavirus, a virus that affects the digestive tract.

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GiardiasisGiardiasis is an infection caused by the parasite Giardia. It results in the onset of diarrhea. The symptoms include the presence of explosive, watery, greasy, and foul-smelling stools.www.hopkinsmedicine.org
Foul-Smelling Stools: Causes, Signs, and PreventionFoul-smelling stool may result from viral or bacterial infections. Such conditions may include gastroenteritis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Clostridium difficile, and other bacterial and viral infections.www.healthline.com
What causes foul smelling stools?The presence of foul-smelling stool may be indicative of underlying health issues, including infection, allergy, or colitis. The following article presents an overview of the potential causes of foul-smelling stool.www.medicalnewstoday.com

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Why does my diarrhea smell fishy?

You can have foul-smelling stools from eating certain foods, like broccoli and eggs, from an infection in your digestive tract, or malabsorption from an underlying health condition, such as IBS or celiac disease. Some medications can cause this symptom as well.

You can have foul-smelling stool from viral or bacterial infections. These can include gastroenteritis, E. coli, Salmonella, Clostridium difficile infection (C. diff), and giardiasis.

Giardiasis can cause greasy stool or diarrhea with a foul odor. You may also experience gas, abdominal cramps, and other symptoms.

What infection makes you smell fishy?
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What infection makes you smell fishy?

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal infection that happens when some normal bacteria that live in your vagina overgrow, causing a bacterial imbalance. Symptoms include an off-white or gray vaginal discharge that smells “fishy.” BV is easily treatable with antibiotics from a healthcare provider.

What are the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis?. Up to 84% of people with bacterial vaginosis don’t have symptoms. If you do, you may have:

  • Off-white, gray or greenish-colored vaginal discharge.
  • Fishy-smelling vaginal discharge, especially after sex.
  • Vaginal itching or irritation.
  • A burning feeling when you pee.

BV symptoms are similar to other infections. It’s important to visit a healthcare provider to determine if what you have is BV or another vaginal infection.

What bacteria smells like fish?
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What bacteria smells like fish?

Trimethylaminuria is a disorder in which the body is unable to break down trimethylamine, a chemical compound that has a pungent odor. Trimethylamine has been described as smelling like rotten or decaying fish. As this compound builds up in the body, it causes affected people to give off a strong fishy odor in their sweat, urine, and breath. The intensity of the odor may vary over time. The odor can interfere with many aspects of daily life, affecting a person’s relationships, social life, and career. Some people with trimethylaminuria experience depression and social isolation as a result of this condition.

Trimethylaminuria is an uncommon genetic disorder; its incidence is unknown.

Variants (also known as mutations) in the FMO3 gene cause trimethylaminuria. This gene provides instructions for making an enzyme that breaks down nitrogen-containing compounds from the diet, including trimethylamine. This compound is produced by bacteria in the intestine during the digestion of eggs, liver, legumes (such as soybeans and peas), certain kinds of fish, and other foods. Normally, the FMO3 enzyme converts strong-smelling trimethylamine into another molecule that has no odor. If the enzyme is missing or its activity is reduced because of a variant in the FMO3 gene, trimethylamine is not processed properly and can build up in the body. As excess trimethylamine is released in a person’s sweat, urine, and breath, it causes the odor characteristic of trimethylaminuria. Researchers believe that stress and diet also play a role in triggering symptoms.

Why do I suddenly have a fishy smell?
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Why do I suddenly have a fishy smell?

Trimethylaminuria (trī-meth’il-am-i-nyūr’ē-ă) is a metabolic disorder that makes your sweat, breath, saliva and pee smell like rotten fish. Metabolic disorders affect how your body processes nutrients and enzymes. Healthcare providers may refer to this condition as TMAU or fish odor syndrome.

What are the symptoms of trimethylaminuria?. People with TMAU give off an unpleasant nauseating odor that people describe as smelling like rotten fish. The odor may be body odor, bad breath ( halitosis ) or strong-smelling pee.

Sometimes, people only notice TMAU symptoms when the person who has the condition sweats or is experiencing stress. But some people with trimethylaminuria carry such a strong scent that others notice the scent just from being in the same room, standing across a counter or sitting in the same section of a bus or train.

What causes TMAU?. Trimethylaminuria happens when something affects the FMO3 enzyme so it doesn’t work like it should. FMO3 stands for flavin-containing monooxygenase 3. This enzyme manages the impact that trimethylamine has on your body. Trimethylamine is a smelly chemical your body produces when you eat certain foods like fish, beans and eggs.

What infection causes smelly diarrhea?
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What infection causes smelly diarrhea?

Giardiasis is an infection caused by a parasite called Giardia. It causes diarrhea. Symptoms include explosive, watery, greasy, foul-smelling stools, bloating, nausea, pain, gas, fatigue, and loss of appetite.

What is giardiasis?. Giardiasis is an infection caused by a parasite called Giardia. It causes diarrhea. It is passed on through oral contact with infected feces. You can get the parasite by eating food or drinking water that contains infected feces. When you travel, make sure not to drink water that may be unsafe.

Giardiasis a common intestinal parasite. It is most prevalent in countries with poor sanitary conditions, poor water quality control, and overcrowding. However, it is also a common cause of parasitic infection in the U. S. Hikers and campers who drink water from streams and other potentially contaminated sources are often infected.

What causes giardiasis?. The parasite that causes giardiasis lives in two stages:

What is the disease that causes a fishy smell?
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What is the disease that causes a fishy smell?

Trimethylaminuria (TMAU) is an uncommon condition that causes an unpleasant, fishy smell. It’s also called “fish odour syndrome”.

Sometimes it’s caused by faulty genes that a person inherits from their parents, but this isn’t always the case.

There’s currently no cure, but there are things that can help.

Symptoms of trimethylaminuria. Trimethylaminuria symptoms can be present from birth, but they may not start until later in life, often around puberty.

The only symptom is an unpleasant smell, typically of rotting fish – although it can be described as smelling like other things – that can affect the:

What is type 7 diarrhea?
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What is type 7 diarrhea?

Diarrhea: Type 7. Type 7 describes very loose stools or fully liquid diarrhea. With this type, you may feel an urgent need to have a bowel movement and may not be able to hold it. If the diarrhea persists, you may also become dehydrated or malnourished.

This type of diarrhea is most often caused by a viral or bacterial infection such as norovirus. Parasitic infections such as Giardia lamblia can cause watery diarrhea. Certain medical conditions can cause type 7 stools as well, including celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis.

How the Bristol Stool Chart Is Used. Your healthcare provider may use the Bristol Stool Chart if you have unusual bowel symptoms or notice a change in your bowel habits or the way your stools look.

What do IBS feces look like?
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What do IBS feces look like?

  • IBS with constipation (IBS-C): Most of your poop is hard and lumpy.
  • IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D): Most of your poop is loose and watery.
  • IBS with mixed bowel habits (IBS-M): You have both hard and lumpy bowel movements and loose and watery movements.

The differences are important. Certain treatments only work for specific types of IBS.

How common is IBS?. It’s very common. Experts estimate that about 10% to 15% of adults in the United States have IBS. Only about 5% to 7% see a provider and receive a diagnosis.

Does stomach virus diarrhea smell?
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Does stomach virus diarrhea smell?

Watery diarrhea that smells particularly bad is one sign of rotavirus, although it can also be a sign of other stomach issues.

If you or your child has bad-smelling diarrhea, the most important thing to do is to stay hydrated. Rotavirus doesn’t usually require medical treatment unless severe dehydration develops.

Does salmonella smell like fish?
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Does salmonella smell like fish?

Food that is contaminated with Salmonella or other harmful germs usually looks, tastes, and smells normal. That’s why it’s important to know how to prevent infection.

Salmonella cause far more illnesses than you might suspect. For every case of Salmonella illness confirmed by laboratory tests, almost 30 other cases are not reported. That’s because most people with symptoms of foodborne illness do not go to the doctor or submit a sample to a laboratory, so we never learn what germ made them sick. CDC estimates that Salmonella cause more than 1 million foodborne illnesses in the United States every year.

Causes of Salmonella Infection. You can get a Salmonella infection from a variety of foods, including chicken, turkey, beef, pork, eggs, fruits, sprouts, other vegetables, and even processed foods, such as nut butters, frozen pot pies, and stuffed chicken entrees. Some recent Salmonella outbreaks that sickened people in many states were linked to flour, peanut butter, salami sticks, onions, prepackaged salads, peaches, and ground turkey.

Food isn’t the only way Salmonella spread to people. The bacteria also spread through contaminated water, the environment, other people, and animals. Even pets and animals at petting zoos, farms, fairs, and schools and daycares can carry Salmonella and other harmful germs. Get tips to help you stay safe around feathery, furry, and scaly friends.

How do you get rid of smelly diarrhea?
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How do you get rid of smelly diarrhea?

Smelly stool usually resolves itself by changing the foods you eat, drinking more water, and incorporating probiotics into your eating plan.

If unusual symptoms accompany the foul odor for greater than 48 hours, a person may want to check with their doctor. Quickly addressing problems will increase the likelihood of a full recovery or optimal condition management.

The following are answers to additional questions about foul stool.

Sometimes foul-smelling poop can be a reaction to a person’s food. However, you should see a doctor if the bad smell is accompanied by other symptoms such as unusual colored stool, blood or pus in the stool, or fever is not healthy and would be best checked by a doctor.


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What Causes Diarrhea With A Fishy Smell?
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Elle Pierson

Hi, I’m Elle Pierson, RN, MBA—a passionate Healthcare Consultant dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations to achieve better health outcomes. As a TEDx Speaker, Author, and Mentor, I bring my expertise in medicine and healthcare management to help others navigate complex systems with confidence. My mission is to inspire change and create meaningful solutions in the world of healthcare. Thank you for joining me on this journey!

Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Executive MBA from Texas Woman’s University.
Email: [email protected]

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2 comments

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  • I’m here after relieving myself a few moments ago lol and I oftentimes wonder as to why my waste!…. has no smell.🤔 I’m searching for answers (because I don’t like to make assumptions upon things that are non factual but if I can take a guess at it? it could have a lot to do with the healthy lifestyle I live and what I put into my body. I drink lot’s of water throughout the day, I no longer crave soda or junk food been this way for years, I’m strictly health and nutrition oriented! and i exercise daily🤷🏽‍♂️ could this be the reason for having non smelly stools?

  • Past few years I’ve been having some dysphagia issues with drinking so my liquid intake is less than it used to be. Ever since then pastvfew years I’ve noticed when I go it don’t smell like barely at all. Even if I pass gas it smells kind of old or odorless. As a result I tend to also go once a week. Sometimes I may get constipated but of late I’ve been doing better with more liquid intake so when I go it comes out easier since water is important to prevent constipation. Thr swallowing issue doesn’t effect food thankfully since I’m a slow eater anyway. Then I got covid in December of 2022 and since then I’ve noticed the smell seems even less. When I go it looks normal just has little to no smell.

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