Description
Normally formed faeces with fresh blood present in it.

Occurrence
Any condition that causes bleeding from the large intestine (distal colon/rectum/anus) or bleeding from the anal glands smearing the stool during passage. There are several possible causes including severe inflammation with ulceration, of the colon or rectum, or bleeding from a rectal cancer. Also, damage caused by a sharp foreign body in the stool e.g. spicules of undigested bone fragments.

Bleeding higher up the intestinal tract will be changed in character and not appear as fresh blood - see melaena

Last updated : October 2013