A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF FIRST ATTACKS OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL-DISEASE AND NON-RELAPSING COLITIS MICROBIOLOGIC FINDINGS

In 105 patients with a first attack of colitis, thorough microbiologic investigations of rectal biopsy, faecal, and serum samples were perfo rmed with the aims of identifying the colitis-causing agents and shedd ing light on factors that may precipitate or aggravate the onset of in flammatory bowel disease. Sixty-one patients were found to have inflam matory bowel disease. In 13 (21%) of these patients microbial findings were positive. Eight of the 61 patients fell ill during or immediatel y after antibiotic treatment, and 10 while travelling abroad. Forty-on e of the 105 patients had non-relapsing colitis. In 32 (78%) of these the microbial findings were positive. Six of these 41 patients fell il l during or immediately after antibiotic treatment, and 14 while trave lling abroad. Alteration of the intestinal microflora on travelling, g astrointestinal infection, or treatment with antibiotics seems to prec ipitate or aggravate the symptoms in latent inflammatory bowel disease . In such patients the mode of onset is often changed from insidious t o more acute, which may cause difficulty in differentiation from non-r elapsing colitis.