What condition is characterized by severe diarrhea due to an intestinal infection?

The condition characterized by severe diarrhea due to an intestinal infection is dysentery. Dysentery typically results from an infection in the intestines that causes inflammation, leading to symptoms such as significant diarrhea that may contain blood and mucus. This condition often arises from bacterial, parasitic, or viral pathogens, which can severely affect the gut's ability to absorb fluid, resulting in watery stools. It is important to note that dysentery is specifically marked by the severity and presence of additional symptoms associated with infection, making it distinct from general diarrhea.

Gastroenteritis is a broader term that encompasses inflammation of the stomach and intestines, leading to both vomiting and diarrhea, but does not specifically denote the severity or the involvement of blood and mucus seen in dysentery. Colitis refers more generally to inflammation of the colon and can also lead to diarrhea, but is not exclusively associated with infections. Diarrhea is merely the symptom itself and does not specify the underlying cause, which in this case is an intestinal infection that leads to the defining characteristics of dysentery.