Keriorrhea

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Keriorrhea (from Ancient Greek κηρός [kērós] 'wax' and ῥοία [rhoía] 'flow') is the production of greasy, orange-colored stools which results from the consumption of indigestible wax esters found in oilfish and escolar. Most people experience the condition without bowel cramps or abdominal discomfort, suggesting that the condition is caused by the lubricant effect of the oil. A 2004 study by Ruello & Associates Pty Ltd found that neither cooking nor freezing reduced escolar's capacity to induce the condition. Frequency varies by outbreak, although at least 40–60% of people who consume sufficient quantities of escolar or oilfish develop symptoms, which usually comprise profuse oily diarrhea, severe rectal incontinence, and usually massive flatulence. Symptoms typically begin within 2 to 4 hours, with some cases as soon as 30 minutes or as late as 90 hours, and subside within 2 to 3 days, some cases lasting up to 7 days. The fact that oilfish and escolar cause keriorrhea was the cause for...

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