Gastric fever, or some other violent stomach disorder. Jehoram king of Judah died in agony from chronic dysentery (2 Chron. 21: 18). Publius' father suffered from the disease, common in Malta, and was healed by Paul (Acts 28: 8).
Citation for dysentery
Citation styles are based on the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Ed., and the MLA Style Manual, 2nd Ed..
MLA
"dysentery." In A Dictionary of the Bible. Ed. W. R. F. Browning. Oxford Biblical Studies Online. Jun 20, 2013. <http://www.oxfordbiblicalcstudies.com/article/opr/t94/e564>.
Chicago
"dysentery." In A Dictionary of the Bible. , edited by W. R. F. Browning. Oxford Biblical Studies Online, http://www.oxfordbiblicalcstudies.com/article/opr/t94/e564 (accessed Jun 20, 2013).