Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastroenterology)

Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by abdominal pain and/or discomfort that resolves after a bowel movement.

Pseudomembranous colitis - Treatment

The first step is to stop the antibiotic that triggered pseudomembranous colitis. This alone can prevent the disease from progressing in mild forms.

Pseudomembranous colitis - Diagnosis

The diagnosis of pseudomembranous colitis is made on the basis of anamnesis data (the relationship between the development of the disease and antibiotic treatment), the presence of clinical colitis, diarrhea with blood, the detection of Clostridium difficile toxins in the feces, and a characteristic endoscopic picture.

Pseudomembranous colitis - Symptoms

Symptoms of pseudomembranous colitis appear during antibiotic treatment, sometimes 1-10 days after the end of the course of treatment.

Pseudomembranous colitis - Causes

Most often, pseudomembranous colitis develops under the influence of long-term use of antibiotics ampicillin, lincomycin, clindamycin, cephalosporins, less often - penicillin, erythromycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline. Clostridium difficile is a spore-forming gram-positive anaerobic rod that is capable of producing two types of exotoxins: toxin A and toxin B. There are four main causes of pseudomembranous colitis associated with C. difficile.

Pseudomembranous colitis

Pseudomembranous colitis is an acute inflammatory disease of the colon caused by antibiotics, ranging from mild short-term diarrhea to severe colitis, which is characterized by exudative plaques on the mucosa.

Whipple's disease

Whipple's disease is a rare systemic disease caused by the bacterium Tropheryma whippelii. The main symptoms of Whipple's disease are arthritis, weight loss, and diarrhea. Diagnosis is made by small bowel biopsy. Treatment of Whipple's disease involves taking trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for at least 1 year.

Disaccharidase-deficiency enteropathies

Disaccharide deficiency enteropathies are congenital or acquired lesions of the small intestine caused by decreased activity or complete absence of one or more disaccharidases.

Celiac disease (gluten enteropathy)

Celiac disease (non-tropical sprue, gluten enteropathy, celiac disease) is an immunologically mediated gastrointestinal disease in genetically susceptible individuals, characterized by gluten intolerance, mucosal inflammation, and malabsorption. Symptoms of celiac disease typically include diarrhea and abdominal discomfort.

Chronic enteritis

Chronic enteritis is a chronic disease of the small intestine, characterized by a disruption of its functions, primarily digestion and absorption, resulting in intestinal disorders and changes in all types of metabolism. The term "chronic enteritis" is mainly used for damage to the small intestine (decision of the Presidium of the "Association of Gastroenterology Societies" - the former All-Union Scientific Society of Gastroenterologists).