Definition

Foul-smelling stool is usually associated with diet, but may be an indication of a medical condition.

Alternative Names

Foul-smelling stools

Considerations

Stool normally has an unpleasant odor, but one that is recognized as fairly common. Stools that have an extremely bad, out-of-the-ordinary odor may be associated with certain medical conditions. Foul-smelling stools also have normal causes, most notably diet.

Foul smelling stools may occur in conjunction with floating stools.

Causes

• Cystic fibrosis
• Gluten-induced enteropathy (sprue, celiac disease)
• Malabsorption
• Idiopathic steatorrhea (fatty stools with no known cause)
• Disaccharidase deficiency (insufficient amounts of the sugar-digesting enzymes)
• Short bowel syndrome
• Crohn's disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Infectious colitis (colon infections)

Review Date: 1/26/2004
Reviewed By: Sreeni Jonnalagadda, M.D., Interventional and Pancreatobiliary Endoscopy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.